


The Truth is Harder than the Facts

by astrothsknot



Series: Imitating Angels [7]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Devour (2005), Supernatural
Genre: AU, Actually a story, Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 22:25:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2325377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astrothsknot/pseuds/astrothsknot





	The Truth is Harder than the Facts

Title: The Truth Is Harder Than The Facts  
Fandom: SPN-Devour-Buffyverse crossover.  
Rating: NC-17 for language and violence  
Series: Imitating Angels AU  
Pairing: Gen  
Characters: Faith/Dean, Sam/OFC, Dakota  
Disclaimer: Faith belongs to Joss Whedon, Sam and Dean Winchester to Eric Kripke, Dakota, Ivan Reitz and Jake Grey to Rob Cowan, Lily Scott belongs to me. Sadly, the Impala doesn’t.  
Spoilers: For Devour. For Buffy Post Chosen. For SPN S1, AU after Devil’s Trap.  
A/N Set in the last week of October 2007, Two years after Pilot, One year after Devil’s Trap. Jake Grey’s 21st birthday is taken as May 2 2004, 3 ½ years before date of this fic.  
Note on OFC: Lily Scott is a Summoner, a type of sorceror who can call, control and exorcise demons. Early Beta by Tigriswolf. Full Beta by Pheebs1. Dedicated to her and LostDwarf77. You both rock, simple as that. 

Dakota sat in the bar, playing with her beer, pizza untouched beside her. Her night off, and here she was, in the bar where she worked. She sat quietly, enjoying the ambience, and no one bothered her. She liked that. Sometimes, a regular would comment briefly to her, more as a way to acknowledge her presence, than to start a conversation.

She responded friendly enough, but never more than a few words. It kept the odd stranger who’d maybe want more than a conversation away, and when it didn’t, the regulars were always quick to step in. They were protective of her. She liked that.

The break of the pool table drew her attention. Truth be told, the pool table had most of the bars’ attention. She couldn’t really see what was happening: the crowd was too thick from where she sat, and she wasn’t moving. The locals were getting roundly beaten by some guys passing through. One of them, tall, really tall, came to stand at the bar next to her. 

“Two beers please.” He turned and smiled at Dakota, just briefly, then went back to contemplating the menu chalked up behind the bar. “Any recommendations?” 

It took Dakota a moment realise he was talking to her. “Sorry, I’d go with the burger and fries.”

“Pizza that bad?” 

She smiled and the effort started to show in her smile. “It’s fine. I just like to take my time. I’m in no rush.”

“You OK, Dakota?” The barman asked. He made the question sound light, but Dakota knew what he meant.

“I’m OK, really.” She reached for a slice of pizza. “I think these guys want a burger to go with those beers.” She gestured to the tall guy, gave him a brief glance, only to see him stare in fascinated horror at the gap in her fingers.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t stare,” he apologized quickly, before turning his attention back to the barman. “Burger and fries, twoce - um, twice. Please.”

“Coming up.” It didn’t stop the barman giving him a warning look.

Dakota was busying herself with the pizza, trying to eat in such a way as to not show off the lack of a middle finger on her left hand. Despite herself, she spoke again. “Little far off the beaten track here, aren’t you?”

“Taking some time out from school, and seeing where we end up.” The clack of the balls was loud, as the tall guy’s friend played some tricky shot, and still managed to put the white down the pocket. There was something familiar about the exclaimed “Aw, fuck!”

Someone shouted “Kick his ass, Kate!” and everyone laughed.

“I’m Dakota,” she offered, on impulse. There was something calming about this guy. 

“Sam and the pool shark is my brother, Dean.” He did not offer to shake her hand. It could have been because her hand grossed him out, but she kinda knew that wasn’t it. He seemed to very carefully keep out of her personal space.

Dakota tested it. She leaned forward to pick up some of the nuts on the bar, her arm directly invading Sam’s space. Without seeming to, he shrank back. When she ate the nuts, he was sitting right beside her again.

They chatted for a while, about inconsequential things, whiling away the time until the food was ready, and Dean drew with the girl who he was playing against. They split the cash, and he walked towards the bar counting it. “Let me buy you a drink,” Dean offered Pool Girl who nodded her acceptance. Just then the phone began to ring and the barman was too busy to answer it.

“Hey, Sam? When’s the food gettin’ here? Some of us have been working” - he spied Dakota, just as she turned around…

Turned around and oh, Dear God saw - “Jake?” she gasped, falling over as she tried to back away, the two brothers coming closer, to help her, and all the time, the damn phone wouldn’t stop ringing…..

The world went dark, and Dakota went gladly.

***

“What the hell did you do to her, man?” Sam demanded when they got asked, very politely, to take their food and leave the establishment. They were walking back to Metallicar picking fries out of the bbq sauce in the brown bag the guy in the bar had tipped the food into.

“Me? It was you who was talking to her!” Dean protested. “What did you do? I’m used to chicks falling at my feet, but not like that.”

“She was fine until she saw you. Then she looked like she’d seen a ghost.”

Dean thought for a moment. “What did she call me?”

“Jake, I think. Maybe it’s an old boyfriend. The one that did that to her finger. She‘s terrified, I got that much from her.” Sam found another piece of bun.

“If it makes you happy, we can - well, you can - go back tomorrow and check on her. Reassure her that her psycho ex isn’t back to haunt her.” Dean looked in the bag. “You ate my burger. Kiss your fries goodbye.”

***

“Hello, Dr Mitchell? It’s Dakota here.” 

“Hello, Dakota. What can I do for you?” There was the sound of a book flipping. “It’s another few days until your appointment.” He did not comment on the fact she was using the phone, until he found if it was a breakthrough or a setback.

“Yeah, I know. I’m still coming. It’s not about that.” She sounded like she was fighting to stay calm, there was a high pitched edge coming and going in her voice. “I-I….”

“Take your time, Dakota. There’s no rush.”

“I just n-need to….to know if J-Jake, Jake Grey is still in Fairlie. I-I think I saw him last-last night. Mike said it was just some guy p-passing through, but he was Jake’s d-double. I just had to check.” 

“As far as I know, Jake Grey is still in Fairlie, he’s not getting out any time soon. We all look like someone else. It’s coincidence and nothing more.” He made a note on his pad. “I’ll phone the hospital, and check for you, to set your mind at rest. Would you want me to call you or to tell you when you come in?”

Dakota considered. The idea of answering the phone against knowing straight away? “I’ll wait till Thursday. It probably is just some guy that looks like him. I didn’t really see much of him. I just panicked. Thanks Doc.”

“That’s no problem, Dakota. Take care.” She’d already rang off. “Guess I got my answer,” he muttered to himself. “Setback.”

*** 

“Excuse me? Dakota?” Sam had gone back the bar, where Dakota was bottling up. He could see her knuckles whiten around the bottle she was placing in the fridge. 

“Hi,” she smiled, plainly steeling herself. “I’m really sorry about last night. I guess it must have been the heat.”

“Yeah, there was a lot of people in here last night.” It was easier to go with her excuse. But still, he’d come here to say something and he was determined to say his piece. “We’re really sorry about last night, Dean and me. If we scared you or -”

“No, really. It’s fine. Your brother just looks like someone I used to know.” She had put the bottle down, and taken to polishing some glasses. For all that she wanted this conversation to end, she couldn’t tear herself away.

“That’s what I thought. He just wanted you to know that he’s not your psycho ex or anything.” Sam carried on, giving no sign he’d noticed her ambivalence. 

“Nah, you just wanted to make sure it was ok for you to still drink here. We’re the only bar in walking distance.” Dakota actually smiled. “Tell him he’s ok to come back.”

“Dean’ll be glad to hear that.” Sam smiled back. “Are you sure you’re ok with it?”

Dakota nodded. “It’s cool. Just….the first few times, if it’s not asking too much, could you come to the bar first, and then I’ll know you’re both in, so it’s not such a shock?”

“Sure, it’s not a problem. Could we buy you a drink, sometime? No hard feelings?” Sam was making to go, not happy with the looks one of the regulars was giving him. “I mean in here, not anywhere else.”

She actually laughed, and the three drinkers looked over in surprise. “I guess you don’t do that too often,” said Sam.

“I guess I don’t. OK, you and your brother can buy me a drink on my break tonight.”

“Done.” Sam left, and Dakota had a smile on her face for the rest of the day. She even felt optimistic about tonight.

So optimistic, that she had Mike phone the shrink to tell him to phone the bar, and let her know if Jake was still safely put away. Doc Mitchell promised to phone her back within the hour, provided she picked up the phone herself. 

She promised.

As good as his word, Mitchell called back in twenty minutes. Mike listened in on the other line, just in case. “Dakota?”

“Yes?” Warily.

“I’ve spoken to the Head Psychiatrist at Fairlie, and he’s confirmed that Jake Grey is still in Max Security. Does that set your mind at rest?”

“It sure does.” The relief in her voice was almost alive. “How is he?”

“Not good, I’m afraid. He’s either in a fugue state or manic, trying to make sense of everything. He’s a very troubled young man, but he’s in the best place.”

“I wish I could see him.” She sounded like a little girl.

“That’s not possible. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t even have told you how he was.” The Doc’s heart went out to her. 

“Bye, Doc,” Dakota said, and hung up. Mike came through from the other room, saw the state of her. “Go for a walk, have a cup of coffee. Be back in an hour.” 

Dakota kissed his cheek. “Thanks. I‘ll just be around town, ok?”

She wandered around the town for about half-an-hour before she saw Jake….Don? Dean. Sam’s brother was called Dean. He was at the laundromat. She wasn’t sure if she should….or should she….

It didn’t matter, because he turned round, and saw her. He waved, seemed undecided as to wait for her to come over, or to turn away. After all, he’d already acknowledged her. He waited just a moment too long, then went into the laundromat.

Dakota crossed the road, stood outside the window for a bit. Dean watched her out the corner of his eye. He took longer sorting out the clothes than he usually did, carefully measuring out the powder.

She was still there. 

“Oh, fuck this,” he muttered, getting out a pen and some paper, writing on it, and going casually to the window, not looking at Dakota, placing it against the window too fast for her to notice he’d done it.

“Black coffee, 2 sugars,” Dakota read the note. She was so surprised that she went and got some pastries and coffees, then brought them round to the Laundromat. Dean was sitting there, reading a paper. He saw her and gave a small smile, held his hand out for the coffee, then remembered himself. His manners shouted for him to stand for a lady, but Sam had warned him. He didn’t want a repeat of last night. He didn’t think the town would be so understanding this time round. 

Dakota placed the coffee and the cake on the bench between them, then sat down beside him.

“It’s public here, huh?” he said, gently.

Dakota nodded. The voice was the same, but the accent was different. And looking at him more closely, Dean was a good few years older than Jake. More heavily built, too. He could easily pass for a logger. Jake was handy, but slimmer, and more intellectual. Dean’s face was not that of a manling entering adulthood, but one of experience, of life leaving its marks and scars. There were already lines around his mouth and eyes, and the top of his nose. He scowled a lot, but smiled a lot also. 

It balanced out.

Dean for his part, let her look. “Thanks for the coffee,” he said when Dakota had finished. 

“I still feel kind of bad about getting you kicked out of Mike’s,” she replied. 

“Don’t worry about it,” said Dean. “Wasn’t the first time, won’t be the last.”

“Yeah, I kind of got that.” She gave a brief look at his apple turnover. “How’s the cake?”

“It’s good, thanks.” He paused for a moment. “You from here?”

“I’m from a town about thirty miles away. I came here about six months ago. I’ve a friend who knew Mike was looking for a bartender, and there was a room going with it, and so I moved here. I like it here, it’s quiet.”

“Sometimes you need that,” agreed Dean.

Dakota was eating with her left hand, and he could see the space where the finger had once been. He’d had a lot of wounds in his time and he guessed this one to be around three or four years old. He’d a rough idea of the circumstances and timelines.

“Your brother says that you’re travelling,” she prompted.

“Yeah, just got in the car one day, and took off. Sam had graduated from Stanford, and needed a little time to kick back. He was getting itchy feet after staying in one place for all that time. Our dad was a consultant, and we went with him.” Dean didn’t like the lie, but it was as close to the truth as he could go.

Dakota noticed that Dean frowned a little. “What do you do?” she asked. 

“We get by. Pool, poker, whatever jobs come up when we’re around.”

“There’s always work for a willing horse,” Dakota offered.

“Exactly, and in a logging town like this, there’s always something going for a guy like me.” He sipped his coffee. “Besides, the devil finds work for idle hands.”

Dakota froze. It wasn’t coincidence. There was no such thing. She wanted to get up, run, but her legs had turned to mush, wouldn’t move. The world had begun to retreat again, glowing dark at the sides, her chest tight…so tight sotightsotightshecouldntbreathe….

“Oh God, I’m sorry! I don’t know what I said, but I’m sorry!” Dean put down his cup, unthinking, put his hand on her back, stroking like he was calming a nervous horse. “Easy, easy…you’re just panicking, calm down, calm down.” 

Dakota murmured something, he wasn’t clear what. She panicked for a few minutes longer, before saying something so low that Dean could barely catch it. She was staring at her hands, had them spread out in front of her. 

“I had idle hands.”

“He cut off your finger because you ….” Dean lost the words. He was torn between sudden anger at the men who would betray their women so deeply and amazement that they would.

Dakota caught his meaning, shook her head. “No. I did this. I killed my professor, cut my finger off, and tried to kill myself.”

She couldn’t look at him, just kept looking at her fingers.

Dean didn’t move, only his hand stroking her back. The words tumbled out. “It was a stupid game we were playing at college, Jake and Connie and me. We got phone calls and they told us what to do and at first it was fun, and then my professor was making me fuck him for grades and everyone fucks me over. Even my dad and my uncle….”

Dean felt sick.

“Couldn’t take any more. Stabbed him in a burger bar….” She gulped, beginning to calm. “I wasn’t right….in the head….I got a year in the loony bin, then Mike took me in.”

“That’s one hell of a shitty deal,” he said, softly. “But you’re safe now.”

They sat there for a long time, until Mike turned up looking for Dakota. Dean helped him take her home.

***

Dean took the clothes back to the motel room, putting them away automatically. Sam had got back from shopping for supplies, and watched him quizzically. “Thought we were leaving tomorrow?” He commented.

“What? I was thinking about Dakota.” Dean related the events of the laundromat.

“Shit, that’s heavy,” was all Sam said.

“Three and a half years ago would have put me and Dad at that possession in Tampa which was why we probably missed this one.” Dean sat on the bed. “Even though an abused woman killing her tormentors wasn’t our usual deal, we would’ve looked at it out of interest.” 

“Do you want to stay here?” asked Sam “See what we could do?”

“Yeah, it’s probably nothing, but I just got this feeling that we should do something. I don’t know what we could do for three year old murder, but…I wanna try.” 

“Yeah, me too,” agreed Sam. He passed Dean the laptop. “We can’t go asking round here, we’ll get lynched. I’ll go and see how she is.”

***

Mike wouldn’t let Sam in to see Dakota. She was “sleeping,” which Sam read as sedated by the doctor. He promised to let her know that Sam had been around, and to thank Dean for sitting with her until he got there. 

There’d be a free drink waiting for him next time he came to the bar.

Damn. He’d really wanted to talk to her, though perhaps now probably wasn’t the best time. He decided to go to the library, look back through local papers and the internet.

***

Dean’s first search was for “Mental Hospitals in Blackvale County,” and came up with three, Adamson, Fairlie, and John Gordon. About four pages into the search came the entry he needed. “Reality Game Blamed In College Killings” in the local paper. He clicked it.

The trials of Cheever Lake College students Dakota Wilson and Jake Grey were halted as the prosecution accepted the pleas of insanity put forward by the defence. Wilson and Grey, both 21 were sentenced to Fairlie Psychiatric Facility indefinitely.

Both had participated in so-called “Reality gaming” where players log into websites and are given tasks and instructions via their cell-phones and email to complete in the real world. Games can be hugely popular, with many players across the globe at any one time.

The game Grey and Wilson had been playing had been called The Pathway, which had involved them carrying out increasingly bizarre requests. Another player and friend of Grey, Conrad Dean had carried out an order to threaten a college acquaintance with a firearm. He later murdered the acquaintance and his girlfriend in their room, before killing himself.

The webmasters of the game were not available for comment. The State Governor is considering calls for legislation to ban Reality Gaming. “These games target the emotionally vulnerable, and coerce them into bizarre acts for a sense of approval. That’s a cult in my book,” said a spokesperson at his office.

The judge agreed with the Defence position that Wilson had snapped after the loss of her friend, and a lifetime of sexual abuse at the hands of family members, leading her to kill her college professor at her workplace. He’d had been implicated abusing other female students, offering grades for sex.

***

Sam was reading the same article, on microfiche. No wonder Dakota was in the state she was in.

“Grey stood accused of four murders, millionaire Aiden Kator, his girlfriend, Marisol Diaz, and his parents, Kathy and Paul Kilton. He was found with the bodies, having killed them in a bloody Satanic ritual. He claims to have had no memory of the events. The court was closed, and it is unlikely that any of the details will be made public.”

It rambled on much in the same vein, adding nothing new. But it did have pictures. Sam’s jaw dropped. Jake Grey was Dean’s double.

He called Dean. 

“Hey, Sam. Have you seen the photos of this Jake Grey?” Dean got in first. “I knew I’d look like him, but this is seriously fucking spooky.” 

“You’re telling me. No wonder Dakota freaked out the other night. Did you find any details of the killings that he’s supposed to have done?” Sam twirled the microfiche. “We got Dramamine in the kit, right?”

“You’re the one who stocked it up. Beyond a Satanic ritual, whatever the hell that means, nothing.” Dean was googling other terms, but wasn’t really getting anywhere. 

“You think he may really have tried to call a demon?” Sam wondered. “If this game told him and he was going nuts, who knows what he would have done.”

“We’ve seen stranger things,” Dean reminded him. “I still want to check it out.”

“It might not be a bad thing that you look like this guy,” said Sam, thoughtfully. “Might open some doors.”

“Well, we can’t exactly pull our usual stunts. A cop who looks like Jake Grey, asking about Jake Grey? That’ll go down well.” Dean ran a hand over his face, looking at his reflection in the screen, as Jake Grey looked back at him. It was seriously creeping him out. “Pity we couldn’t talk to Dakota.”

“You’ll have a chance tonight. There’s a free beer waiting for you.”

“I’ll be needing it.” He snapped down the screen. “I’ll pick you up. I want to see this place.”

An hour later, they were in the outskirts of Cheever Lake, the small town that had once been home to Dakota and Jake. Dean drove around for a while, taking in the sights. It wasn’t a one street town like the one Dakota had fled to, rather a normal size county capital. Still plenty rural. It wasn’t that far removed from Lawrence.

“Damn, it’s like Lawrence.” Sam looked at the houses. He didn’t look happy either.

“Are you getting anything from this?” Asked Dean.

“Psychic anything? Not really - Dean! Turn up there, next left!” Sam grimaced.

“Why? What’d you see?” Dean took the turn, giving the finger as he cut up someone. “Great, now someone will think Jake’s out, and I don’t need that kind of shit,” he thought.

“Drive up this road. We’ll come to a house.” Sam sounded as if he was reading off a map.

“Are you sure? Where’s the map?”

“Can you just drive? It’s up here about five miles out of town.” 

Dean shook his head, and drove on. The Impala wasn’t made for country tracks, which is what the road had turned into. “If we get stuck, you’re pushing us out, and then I’m running over your ass.”

“Just think about all that mud getting into her engine. It’s all sticking and clogging her up. Poor baby.” Sam teased.

“You wanna walk?” Dean looked up ahead. “Holy shit. It’s a house.”

“You should have gone to college. It’s kind of derelict. Is that police tape?” Sam squinted at the yellow plastic flapping in the breeze.

“Looks like it.” They waited for a moment, then got out the car. “I’ll take the house, you look round outside.”

Sam went off around the outside of the house. It wasn’t even really a house, more a wooden cabin thing. The last time Dean been in one of these things, he’d been tortured by a demon. It was the first time he’d ever come across something that big and that bad. “I should’ve listened to Lily instead of staring down her tits,” he muttered to himself. 

Reluctantly, he left the day behind and went in. His flashlight shone on nothing but the bare walls, the EMF was silent. He still had a sense of dread about the whole thing, and being in the cabin wasn’t helping. His neck and back crawled, as if something was behind him. He whirled and of course, there was nothing. “I’m spooking myself,” Dean muttered to no one in particular. He left the room gladly, tripping as he came into the sunlight.

There were tracks circling the cabin. Hoof-prints, moose or deer or something. He didn’t know which. Moose, probably, they were kinda big, and he couldn’t think of anything else that came out at that size. Dean wondered if he should call Faith or Lily. Better calling Lily. What was the point of having a park ranger in your speedial, otherwise?

“Dean! Come see this!” Sam yelled. Something in his voice, made Dean’s blood run cold. He ran round the back to where Sam was, and the EMF meter suddenly went nuts, before exploding in his hand.

“Bastard!” Dean swore, dropping the smoking ruin of the meter, stamping on it. In front of his foot was a stone circle. The stones were small, and surrounded a solitary tree. “How big, Sammy? Sixteen, twenty feet across?”

“Yeah, I guess,” replied Sam. He shot a look at Dean. “You OK, man?”

“Fine.” Neither one of them seemed in any hurry to step over the boundary. “Can you see that mark on the tree?”

“The gouge on that branch?”

“Yeah. Remember that swing in Jackson’s River? The rope wore into the branch like that.” Dean rubbed his burned hand.

“It’s not kids that’s been swinging here,” replied Sam. He shivered. “Is the earth stained?”

Dean looked. “Yeah. There’s a tint. It’s not on this side of the stones.” His sense of dread was quickly amping up into fear, chest cramping with remembered pain. It was taking all his strength not to run back to the car. He looked at Sam, and saw the tension in the lines of his body, the hand at his forehead, the pained face. “Sam, what can you see that you’re not telling me?”

“There’s a force in the stones, it’s pushing me back. Like a force-field or something.” He looked at Dean. “You look the way I feel.”

“Do you think you could put your foot over the stones?”

“After what happened to your meter, I don’t want to.” Sam indicated the still smoking device. 

“Me either, but try.”

Sam tried, straining so hard that the tendons stood out in his neck, getting increasingly frustrated.

“Dude, stop before you blow something.” Dean put out a hand towards the stones, finding his hand pass through a fine dampness, before static sparked. He hauled his hand back before it got chopped off. “Can you remember what Lily said about this kind of thing?”

“I think we need to get her or Faith out here.” He pulled out his Blackberry, dialled the number for Lily‘s cabin. He smiled.

“Lily would be best. Have the kids changed the message yet?” Asked Dean, coming over so he could hear it. Two childish voices chanted, “Faith and Lily, are very busy, so they can’t come to the phone right now. Leave a message after the beep, and they’ll call you back when the calls are cheap. Mom, I can‘t think of one for Sam and Dean.”

“Lily? It’s Sam. We’re at Blackvale, and these are the co-ordinates -” he related them from the map Dean was holding - “We’ll book you a room. Don’t bring the kids.”

“We’ll get the pair of them,” said Dean. “You said the magic words.”

“We’re going to need both of them, Dean,” replied Sam. “Whatever the hell Jake Grey called, it was big. Last time we did big, we got our asses handed to us.” 

Dean could only nod. Later, when they got back to the motel, while Sam took his time making the reservation for Lily and Faith, Dean threw up. The heaving brought the pain back, crushing him, slowly squeezing, feeling bones crack, sobbing for breath that couldn’t come. He threw up until there was nothing left in his stomach.

He stayed in the bathroom for a long time, face against the cool porcelain. Trying not to remember.

When Sam came back, Dean was methodically cleaning the guns, with the Key of Solomon in front of him. Sam picked up the whetstone, and began sharpening their knives.

***

Six hours later, chaos descended into Blackvale, in the form of a shot-up Jeep, screeching into the parking lot and two arguing women. 

“That’ll be them,” Dean grinned. He went to the door a little too quickly. Faith Wilkins, formerly LeHane, jumped out the drivers’ side, running up to Dean with a huge grin on her face. She leapt into his arms, kissing him hard and messy, slicking his lips with her gloss. After about ten seconds, she broke off, and went to hug Sam, while Dean went to Jeep to get their stuff.

“Christ, Faith! What the hell did you do to the Jeep?” he asked, walking around it. “Lily, are you getting out, or is it just a rumour?”

Lily Scott had rolled down the window. “I can’t, the door’s stuck. Haven’t had time to get it fixed yet. Stuff keeps happening. I’m going to need a hand to get out the driver’s side. Get my bag, please.”

Dean opened the back door of the Jeep, and pulled out a blue rucksack and a dark cherrywood cane. Sam had gone round to the driver’s side, and was helping Lily wriggle over the stickshift. Lily didn’t like automatics, and you really needed manual out in the wilds. 

Sam held Lily as she jumped down, grimacing, supporting her as she stood, and Dean came forward for a cuddle. “You can tell us all about it later. Just now, I want a shower. I haven’t had one for three days. And I want a cup of tea,” she said, cuddling him with the arm that wasn’t wrapped round Sam.

Faith had gone back to Dean, after picking up her bag. “I’ll let Dean fill me in on the details, then we’ll both be up to speed. We’ll have some beers later. This town’s gotta have some action.” 

There was no way she could have said it without sounding wanton. Lily laughed. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”

Faith and Dean were giving each other looks that threatened to melt the Jeep. Sam held out his hand for the bags at the same time as Lily. Dean handed them to Sam, and Lily glared at him. Dean looked suitably abashed, but shrugged.

“Oh, piss off, the pair of you,” she snapped, but she was smiling. They ran into Dean’s room giggling like kids. “You can put me down now.”

Sam shook his head. “Naw, you’re alright.” They did a limping three-legged shuffle into the room he’d booked for the women. It was right next to his and Dean’s, from which muffled laughter was coming through the wall. He set her down at the kitchen table, went to make a cup of tea. Lily dug in her bag for the stuff she preferred. He hung the heavy cane over the back of one of the chairs.

“Your dad still sending you teabags?” He said conversationally. He didn't lean in for a kiss, he could tell she was hurting too much.

“Yep. Beats that godawful shite that passes for tea in this hole.” She rubbed her leg, biting her lip in pain. “I’m suffering enough.”

“What happened?” asked Sam. “The jeep was fine last week. Can‘t leave you alone for five minutes.”

“Says the boy who gets strangled on a regular basis,” she snarked back. “I’m just going to grab a shower. Faith picked me up on the job.”

“Just as well you always have a bag packed, then.”

“My dad taught me well. See you in a minute.” She pulled clothes and toiletries out of the bag and limped into the bathroom. Sam noted the serious drag on the right leg. It came out more when Lily was really tired or stressed.

It was actually ten minutes before Lily emerged from the bathroom. The limp was apparent, but not as bad. She leaned against the counter as Sam fussed with some food he’d ran out to get. In the next room, the laughter was now interspersed with moans, and the odd “Fuck! Yeah! There!”

“Chairs are clean,” said Sam, passing her a mug. He leaned in for a kiss. It was lingering and gentle, till she pulled away with a hiss.

“Standing’s easier. It’s fucking killing me today.” She took a sip, and sighed. “You do good tea.”

“I do great tea. What the hell happened to the truck?” Sam stood beside her. 

“Got shot up by poachers. Everyone is freaking about it, they’ve already put one of us in the hospital. These guys are really organised. We were wondering if maybe they were doing canned hunts, but we haven’t found anything yet. But it’s all way bigger than some guys shooting a deer for dinner.”

“How do you know they were canned hunting?” Asked Sam.

“Found blood and hair from an Arizona timber wolf. They aren’t native to here, and they haven’t spread that far out their range. Still fairly rare.” She sipped more tea, gratefully accepting the sausage sandwich that Sam had made for them. “Why the call?”

Sam quickly related the events of the past 48 hours, showing her the article on the web. 

“Damn, that’s creepy.” Lily couldn’t tear her self away from the screen.

“Not disagreeing with you.” 

She paused for a moment. “He reminds me of that guy Dean shot with the Colt last year. The ring,” she continued. “You really couldn’t get through it?”

He shook his head, leaving Lily’s aside for now. “Dean could, but it freaked him out. It’s close to Halloween, as well, which doesn’t make life any easier.”

“You wouldn’t be able to get through it. If it’s a power circle, and it sounds like it is, then only the person who called it can pass,” Lily nodded, considering. “I could break it, but I don’t want to until I know what I’m dealing with, and you thinking it’s a demon, I need more than that.”

She rubbed her leg again. “Besides, I’m too bloody tired to do anything strenuous just now.”

“How come Dean got through it?” asked Sam.

“If the pair of you had learned to listen while you looked at my tits, you’d know the answer to that. God knows why the hell John hired me to teach you about magic, cos you didn’t fucking learn anything.” Lily shook her head. “He should have had Bobby teach you more.”

“Dad thought we’d learn more from a woman. Besides, you were only four years older than Dean. It was him who spent all his time with your cleavage.” Sam grinned. “I paid attention.”

“Yeah, until you hit 13.” Her tone wasn’t smiling, but her eyes were. “Still, got you taught languages and religion. It was a pity that I didn’t start magic theory sooner, or you’d already know about the Key of Solomon.”

“I don’t know how we missed that one,” he muttered. 

“It’s the best known grimoire. Squirrels know about it. It’s online, for fuck’s sake.” Lily shook her head. “Sam, you’re going to have to pay some fucking attention. What you went after before was small fry. More and more, I’m seeing the big guns coming out. You are nowhere near equipped to deal with them.”

Lily put down her cup, and hobbled towards the door. “Let’s see this circle, then.”

“Aren’t we going to wait on the lovebirds?” Sam asked.

“They’re finished. Faith’s going to knock on the door about -” a loud rapping on the door sounded, and then Faith opened the door, asking “You two good to go? I’m all filled in. I reckon we’ve enough daylight to see this circle thing.”

“I hate when you do that,” said Sam, getting Lily’s cane, though he offered her his arm, which she took. Faith shot her a concerned look. His heart sank. For Faith to look like that, Lily must be a really bad way.

“Best take the Impala,” said Dean. “All my doors work.”

Lily groaned. “I don’t know what’s worse, your driving or hers.”

***

“You never answered me,” Sam said in the car, on the way there. “How did Dean get through, and I couldn’t?”

“Because you’re psychic and Dean isn’t,” Lily said while she fiddled with the seat belts. Dean had put them in when she and Faith had flatly refused to allow Duncan and Richard in the car without them. It had taken a month to find authentic seatbelts, and fit them, but it had been worth it. This time last year, they’d come in very handy.

“That’s not an answer.” Sam wasn’t dropping it. He’d taken the back seat next to Lily. 

She shrugged. “That’s just the way it is. We can’t do it, Faith and Dean could. Demons would have problems as well.” 

“Only if it’s a calling circle,” said Faith. “If it’s a portal or a vortex, God knows what could happen.”

“See where the land lies,” Dean said, as he took the turn. He took it more carefully than he had the last time, but he didn’t see any cops.

“Aren’t you worried about the cops seeing you?” Asked Faith. “That’d be a whole mess we don’t need.”

“I think we’re ok.” Dean slowed the car. “Here we are.”

Lily clambered out before anyone could help her. Dean looked pained. “I’m offending your sense of chivalry,” she giggled, digging into a pocket in her combats, coming out with the hiking ferule for her cane. It had a vicious metal point, topped off with a mudguard.

“There’s nothing wrong in letting people help you.” 

“Fine, when I need it. And right now, don’t need it, but you‘re sweet for offering.” She looked over the ground. “There’s a lot of animal bones here.”

“Yeah, I can feel them,” replied Sam. His face was screwed up in concentration.

“Maybe they’re being used to keep something in. Don’t they get used like that sometimes?” Dean had started walking towards the main circle. 

“What kind of bones? Hunting animals or prey animals?” Faith looked down into the soil, as if she’d see what Lily could see. She took a duffle bag from the back of the Impala, rubbing at her arm. “Damn, my tattoos are crawling.”

“Mine as well,” agreed Lily. She wriggled uncomfortably in her jacket.

“Cougars. A bear over to your left, near the circle.” Sam pointed out the spots, but neither Faith nor Dean could see anything. “Some coyotes, over there. Been there for years, the stuff over there is newer.”

“You can tell?” Lily sounded thoughtful. “Then you’re one up on me.”

“Power up the holding circle, maybe?” Dean’s heart was thumping. He could almost smell the adrenaline in his veins. He wasn’t psychic and he felt like this. He couldn’t imagine what it felt like for them.

“Or they could be like bars on a cell. Either way, it found a way out,” Faith said, as she hefted the bag to her other shoulder. The weight was comforting.

They’d reached the main circle and the tree. “Look,” said Dean, suddenly. “I can see the outline of another circle. Right over where you said the bear was.”

There was a small furrow running outside the stone circle, forming a slightly larger ring. “The circles, they‘re concentric.” Faith traced the outline in the air.

“I see it,” Dean replied.

“The stones in the small circle, used to be here,” said Lily. “They’ve been moved. Jesus. Fucking. Christ.” As soon as she stepped over the furrow, she looked like she’d been stabbed. White light flared around it.

“What the fuck is that?” Breathed Dean.

“Generic…calling…circle.” Lily could hardly get the words out. Both she and Sam looked like they were in great pain, though Sam didn’t look as bad. “Satanists….use it…to call…The Devil….it’ll…call…any demon.”

“Using the same the stones….” Sam helped her back out, and the white flare slowly died away. “Wouldn’t that trap the power in this one?”

Lily nodded. “Yeah, it would. Makes the circle stronger. More power in less space. Something this powerful - it‘s got to be a white goat.”

“Seeing as Jake‘s parents were killed here in a ‘Satanic ritual,’” said Dean. “It’s not a great leap for them to be our goats, to power up the circle.” 

“I thought you didn’t always need a human sacrifice to call a demon,” pointed out Sam.

“You don’t,” replied Faith. She put the bag down, just in case she needed to fight. “And that’s why this is weird.”

Lily put up her hand again, feeling the same barrier as Sam had. She didn’t push against it. “That’s weird. There’s more than two different energy signatures. At least two different people did this circle. I don’t mean together, I mean two different power ups.” 

“Two sets of sacrifices?” Asked Faith. “Can you tell who did them? Are they both human?”

“No. Never come across them before.” Lily looked at the stones. “And, yeah, both human.”

“I’ll take a look at the house,” said Dean, walking off in that direction. “Lily?” He waited for her to catch up, offering his arm. Lily took it without a fuss.

Sam chuckled at the sight, before turning to Faith. “C’mon, Faith, we’ll have a look round the other side.”

“I don’t really see anything out of the ordinary,” Faith said as she wove back and forth, patrolling. “It sure feels weird here, though. It’s pinging all my radar.” She scratched her back. “Damn, this tats’ crawling.”

“It’s worse the closer to the circle you get. Power bleed out, maybe?” Suggested Sam. He was starting wince as the pulse in his head began to pound. 

“You feeling a vision coming?” She looked over with interest. “I just get future stuff, and only in dreams”

“Not a vision, more a sense that there’s power here, and - ow - that something happened. But I can’t see what.” He rubbed his forehead. It felt like he’d the beginnings of a migraine.

“Hey, do you see that?” She set off to investigate. Sam ran to catch up.

They came to a similar stone boundary. They stepped through it easily.

“That’s weird,” said Sam.

“O-K,” agreed Faith. “Your headache’s gone, right?”

“Like flicking a switch.”

“A containing circle? That’s the only thing I can think of.” She crouched down and touched the stones. They were just ordinary small stones.

That was when they heard the low growl.

***

Lily looked around, upstairs and downstairs. She had to lean on the walls for support. She had a thoughtful look on her face as she went. 

Dean shivered as he came into the house, watched the shadows flit across the walls. “Lily?” He called softly. “Do you see this?” 

“Yeah.” She’d moved to the centre of the room.

As they watched, the shadows formed faces and shapes, some indistinct, some clear. Nightmare images. Crazy shapes, looping and whirling. Demons and animals in equal measure. 

Dean checked his phone. “Cell’s out. Might just be lack of coverage.” His voice sounded loud in the space. The atmosphere in the room was alive. 

“My tattoos are itching,” Lily said quietly. “Can you hear a baby crying?”

Dean moved closer to her. She reached for him, and he grabbed her hand. “I hear it. What do you see in the shapes?”

Lily breathed out, her voice becoming almost dreamy. “Oh shit,” thought Dean. “She’s gone into trance.” 

The shadows danced more frantically around the wall. Dean pulled her closer. He could almost hear them murmur, and was glad he couldn’t. 

“A Demon tried to bring forth life on this plane. She was thwarted by demon hunters. She screams and cries for her child. She hunts for him still, and won‘t rest until he‘s within her grasp once again.”

Lily collapsed then, and Dean hauled her out. He half carried, half dragged her back to Impala, putting her in the back. There was something happening behind the house, but he figured Sam and Faith could handle themselves.

He still went to the trunk and brought out a shotgun loaded with rock salt.

***

They froze when they heard the growl. Faith got to her feet very slowly, unzipping her bag as she did so. She passed a loaded shotgun to Sam, pulled out a crossbow for herself.

The growl sounded again. “Any idea what that was?” Faith said as she looked around. “Animal? Demon? Pet Rock?”

“You’ve lived in the middle of nowhere longer than I have!” Hissed Sam. “Can’t you tell if it’s an animal?”

Faith heard a sound that Sam couldn’t. “Over there,” she murmured, pointing behind Sam. He turned. “Holy Fuck!”

The shuck stood there in all its glory, huge, blue-black and shining, eyes red, slaver dripping from its jaws. It growled, all bass and barbed wire, as it worked out who made the better target.

It pounced for Faith. She rolled out the way, firing a bolt into its side. The shuck howled and turned, snapping at the irritant, before wheeling round, and going for the bow. She didn’t have the time to reload, all she could do was flip up and over the top of the beast. Sam fired the shotgun, hitting home, but all it did was yelp before turning and making for Sam.

It leapt high for him, and hit square, knocking him clean off his feet. Sam held it off with the gun in both hands, fighting to keep hold as the shuck clamped it in its massive jaws and shook it like a rag doll, twisting his arms as he tried to hold on. Foam from the shuck dripped down the gun, making it slippery.

Faith drew her knife from her boot, and ran back into the melee.

“Faith! I can’t fucking hold on!” He panted, the weight of the beast crushing the breath from him. Sam managed to bring his legs under him, trying desperately to push it off, lessen its’ weight, but it was too heavy.

Then Faith was there, slashing and stabbing at the beast, anywhere she could reach. Blood and spittle flowed freely from the demon, yet it still clung to the shotgun. Its’ growls and snarls were more and more pain-filled, though it was too enraged to drop the gun, and turn on Faith. 

Sam held on for dear life, kicking at the shuck, until the struggles began to lessen and slow, and it finally collapsed. The three of them fell in a heap, the demon occasionally making small struggles as it died, blood rattling in its’ lungs. Faith didn’t stop stabbing until it was dead.

The light could not be said to die from its eyes. Faith had taken them out first. 

“Gerritoff!” Sam mumbled from the bottom of the pile, trying to push it off.

Faith moved off painfully, and the two of them rolled the carcass off Sam. He tried to sit up. “I can’t feel my arms.” 

“They’re still there. They’ll hurt like a bastard soon. Are you cut?” Faith helped him up. 

“Probably. You?” He got up like an old man.

“I got myself with the knife couple’ve times. My top’s shredded. Damn! I liked that top!” She sounded more pissed off about the top than she did about the shuck. She cleaned her knife, and slid it back into her boot, keeping a watchful eye as Sam picked up her bag and weapons. Wouldn’t be the first time they’d been jumped during the clean up. Sam tossed the salt and the gas to her. She disposed of the remains quickly and quietly.

They walked back to the car, as Sam looked ruefully at the shotgun. It was bent, and covered in teeth marks. In one place it was bitten almost through. 

Suddenly, both of them shivered. It was starting to get dark, and the power of the circle was kicking in. Neither wanted to be around when it was fully dark. They ran back to the car. Dean’s face was tight with worry, and it wasn’t truly relieved by the sight of them. As soon as he saw them coming, he jumped into the driver’s seat, and started up the car, and turned it round. As soon as Sam and Faith flung themselves into the car, he sped off, cops be damned.

They drove back in silence, made it to Dean’s motel room, Faith and Dean manhandling a still out cold Lily into the room, dumping her on Sam’s bed. Faith took the first shower, while Dean got the kit ready. Faith had several gashes on her arms, though from the shuck or the knife it was hard to tell. He began on these, as Sam went for his shower.

The only sound in the room was Faith’s gasps and whimpers as Dean stitched up the gashes, one of which was still seeping. He did this one first, wrapping a tight dressing over it. He kissed it when he’d finished, and they smiled at each other, relief and joy that they were all still here. Faith stroked his cheek, and he turned and laid a kiss upon her palm.

Sam’s shower brought back the news that all he had was bruising, and strained muscles in his arms. It would hurt to breathe for a week, but that was all. He went and got t-shirts for Lily and Faith to sleep in. One of his for Lily, one of Dean’s for Faith. 

While Dean finished fixing up Faith, Sam got Lily undressed, painful hands struggling with the knots on her boots. He moved like he was arthritic. But he was gentle, nonetheless, as he stripped her to her underwear, and her wifebeater, carefully lifting her up to pull the t-shirt over her head. He got in beside her in the narrow bed, wincing as he lay down.

Neither Faith nor Dean spoke, as they got into Dean’s bed. Faith was asleep before he put out the light. His eyes met Sam’s just as he did so, and both knew that this was as close to Heaven as it got.

***

Sam woke up the next morning to the sound of a keyboard tapping. Lily was on the laptop, with both her and Dean’s journals beside her. Dean and Faith were still asleep, spooned together, his arm draped over her. They were holding hands as they slept. “They look so sweet,” Lily smiled, waving her hand in their general direction. “Kettle will still be hot, I’ve just boiled it.”

“What’re you doing? “ He went to get himself a mug, made himself a coffee. “How long have you been up?”

“The name Kilton is driving me crazy. I thought maybe it was a Hunting family, but I’ve not found anything. The other guy Jake Grey killed was a sorceror. Pretty powerful, moved in Satanist circles.” She said the words like they were poison. “So I wouldn’t have known him. Other than that? Ten minutes. You look like shit. Something happen?”

“Shuck. It killed your shotgun, by the way. We’ve had to chuck it.” Sam sat next to her.

Lily frowned, then shrugged. “Can’t be helped. Let’s see what it did to you then.”

Sam looked bashful for a moment, then pulled his t-shirt painfully over his head. His torso was livid all over with bruising so dark, it was black in some places. 

“Oh-h-h. That looks painful.” She reached out to touch it, running her hand lightly over his abs. “I know, stupid thing to say.”

He snorted, then winced. “Can't you kiss it better?”

“Sorry!” She withdrew her hand. His skin felt a little bereft without her touch. “They'll hear you!”

“They're dead to the world,” Sam retorted. “Let’s go pick up some breakfast, and we’ll bring some back for love’s young dream.” 

She shut down the laptop, and went to her own room to get dressed. Sam went with her. 

“You’re walking better,” he noted. 

“Good night’s sleep. Doesn’t make it go away, but it helps.” She swung a small rucksack over her shoulder. “Now, I want breakfast.”

“We don’t need to hurry, do we?” Sam winced, then tried to breathe properly.

She laughed. “No. Do you want my cane?”

“Only to hit you with. I’m a nearly a foot taller than you.” He scowled at her. “You’re not even leaning on that, are you?”

“Not this morning, but I like having it with me, just in case.” They came to the diner, Lily holding open the door for Sam, letting him pick the table. It took a lot of manoeuvring, but they got there. They ordered toast when the waitress came over, ignoring the funny look she gave Lily when she ordered a pot of hot water. She waited until the woman’s back was turned, then got a teabag from her rucksack, and dumped it in the pot.

Sam was trying not to laugh too loud. They ate in a companionable silence, taking their time. There was no rush, and the world could wait.

They really only had about ten minutes peace before Dean and Faith turned up, not that either one of them was overly chatty. Some of Faith’s smaller cuts were already healed, thin red lines on her arms. 

It took several cups of coffee to get them moving. “You look like death warmed up,” Sam grinned. Lily and Faith sat back to watch the show, shooting each other amused looks.

“You look dog-rough.”

“I get why Faith’s tired, but all you did last night was drive a car. We actually did something.”

“Get laid, already, Sammy.” Dean had the look of a big dog getting harassed by a terrier. “Why the fuck are you so chirpy?”

“Faith doesn’t mind waking up to this every morning?” Sam continued, wickedly. Faith and Lily hid smiles behind their cups.

“Dude, we’ve been crashing at theirs for the last year. I think they’re used to it by now.” Normally it was two kids who made Dean suffer like this in the morning. Not that Sam escaped. Richard refused to accept that it was evil and inhuman to play horsey before coffee. Duncan had a great line in practical jokes. Dean sat up, stretching his arms over his head. “Besides, about time to decide what we’re doing today.”

“Talk to Dakota, for one thing,” Sam stole a pancake from Faith. 

“You said she was spilling her guts to Dean, yesterday. Maybe he should do it.” Faith started on the rest of the pancakes before any more could walk. “We can’t go about town with him looking like that guy.”

“You could look him up, Faith. You and Sam,” said Lily. “I need to look up that house, get a fix on that circle.”

“You don’t know what else is up there,” objected Faith. She looked to Sam to back her up.

“Faith’s right. You saw the state of us, and that shuck appeared in the day.” Sam quickly pulled up the most reasonable arguments. “Anyway, it’s putting the cart before the horse.” 

Dean looked like he was about to speak, but stopped when Sam shook his head, only enough for Dean to see.

“No, it’s reverse engineering,” Lily stated. “I’m going to have to start on it at some point. Today’s as good a day as any.”

“It makes more sense to look at what it might be first,” cut in Dean. “We’ll go do what we’re supposed to do today, see where the land lies, then you can work something up from that. Even if you end up doing what you said, it’s only one more day.”

“It’ll take longer than a day to reverse engineer the circle, I suppose.” Lily sipped her tea. “Fair enough. I’ll go into town with Sam and Faith. Do some research in the library on the case.”

Dean tossed the keys of the Impala to Sam. “Best not take the Jeep. You don’t want to have to explain Faith’s driving to the cops.”

***

Half an hour later, Dean was standing at the back door of the bar. Mike answered. “Missed you last night.”

“Sorry. Something came up. How’s Dakota?”

“Having breakfast. You wait here while I find out if she’s talking to you. You’ve still got that beer waiting on you.”

“Thanks,” replied Dean.

Mike was back in a minute. “Come in. She’ll see you.” He stood aside so Dean could enter. “Top of the stairs, turn left. Help yourself to some coffee or whatever. I‘ll be in the kitchen.”

“Thank you, sir,” Dean said quietly. He climbed the stairs, drew a breath, knocked on the door, and entered.

Dakota was sitting at the table, cross legged on the chair eating Lucky Charms. “Hi,” she said, shyly.

“Hi,” he replied. He sat down. He had no idea how to go about this, as himself. “Oh, to hell with it,” he thought. “I might as well be honest.”

It took several goes before he found his voice. “I looked you up,” he said, looking at the floor.

Dakota said nothing. Dean looked back up at her. “I’m sorry for what happened.”

“I was ill,” Dakota said, her voice steady. She‘d put down the bowl, and the spoon clattered as she trembled. “But I’m getting better.”

“I know. I’m not here about that.” He reached across the gap, took her hands. She stared at them, but didn‘t pull away. “I need to know about Jake. About that game you were playing.”

“Google me. That’ll tell you everything.”

“No, that just tells me the facts. I need the truth.” Damn, this was going down the tubes, fast. He wished one of the others were here. Not Faith, though. She was as bad at this as he was.

“Please,” begged Dakota. “Don’t make me.”

Dean said nothing, he didn’t have to. He looked intensely sad.

“You’re more like Jake than you think you are,” she whispered. “It was my fault. I started this. And I’m starting it again.”

“How come?”

“I introduced him to the game. I was already playing. It was his birthday, we were drunk, and Connie signed him up.” Dakota began to cry, quietly. “And now I’ve dragged you into it, too.”

“What the news said about the game? They phoned you? Told you to do stuff?” Dean made no move to comfort her.

She nodded.

“Tell me about Jake.” He still spoke gently. “How long had you known him?”

“Since school. Me, Connie and Jake grew up together.” She’d calmed a little, even smiled slightly. “None of us got along with our families, so we became our own little family. We were so fucking close….”

“Yeah?” Dean gave a little smile to encourage her. “What was Jake’s like?”

“Shitty. His mom was paralysed the night he was born, broke her neck. His dad was a drunk, always giving him shit.” Dakota shifted in her chair. “I think he blamed Jake for it. Bastard.”

“For being born?” That struck home.

“Yeah. Told you he was a bastard.” She laughed weakly. “When his mom lived at home, he could just about stand it, but she put herself in a nursing home so he could go to college. Wouldn’t need to worry about her. That was where Jake met Marisol. She was a nurse there.”

“I could use a coffee right now,” said Dean. 

Dakota pulled back, sat up. “What?”

“Coffee. You look like you could use one as well.” He began to look for the remote for the TV in the corner. “Do you like Godzilla films? I read on the net that one of the local stations is having a marathon. Today.”

“Yeah, sure. One of them.” Comprehension dawned across her face, and with it a giggle, as she went to get them more coffee. Dean supposed it was the happiest she’d sounded in a long time. He pulled out his cell and called Faith. It would speed things up a bit.

***

“Looks like he was just another fucked up kid,” said Faith hanging up the phone. “Maybe we’re wasting our time looking him up. He fits the pattern of the other kids mentioned in the reports. If he didn’t look like Dean, we wouldn’t even be wasting our time with him.”

“Oh, I agree with you,” said Lily. “We’d be better off reversing the circle.”

“No. We‘re covering all our bases.” Sam looked at their notes. They’d been brainstorming over in the car about what to research and who should do it. 

“Circle.”

“We can’t do the circle until we know more. We need to find out what’s in those court records.” Sam sounded exasperated.

“Which are sealed. Couldn’t one of us break in or something?” Faith sounded bored.

“You want to go back to jail?” Sam wasn’t anywhere close to losing his temper, but another hour of this and he’d be near it. “After all the trouble you took to get out?”

Lily ignored them, merely taking a compass, a map and a make up bag out of her rucksack. She moved to a nearby bench. Working out north, she took a set of dog-eared tarot cards out of the make up bag, shuffled them, and then began to lay them out.

“Well, we can’t fucking go ask for them, can we!? They took a plea pretty fucking quick and sealed the records? Pretty fucking obvious somebody’s got something to hide! You don’t think it’ll start blowing up some head honchos’ skirt if a couple of lawyers or whatever your stupid-ass plan was starts asking for them?” Faith didn’t have anywhere near Sam’s patience. “Thought you were so amazing with your hands that you can finger fuck locks open? Don‘t hear no bells until you’re done?”

Sam went purple, got up and left. Faith went over to Lily. 

“Don’t fight in the library. Some of us are working.” Lily was taking careful note of what the cards said. “You’re right by the way. We either get his police file or the medical records.”

“It’d probably be as hard to get into the loony bin as the court house. We’d have more luck passing for law students than nurses. No offence, Lily, but I’ve had it with institutions. Count me outta that one.” The idea panicked Faith more than she was letting on.

“I’d rather hit the court house, anyway.” Lily was still concentrating on the cards. Faith looked relieved. She began reading them over Lily’s shoulder.

“Priestess, Hanged Man, over the cemetery,“ Faith recited. Lily dealt out some more. “Hierophant, over that street. I think it’s connected to the Hanged Man.”

“If we get the Tower, Ace of Swords, or The Moon, I’ll agree with you.” Lily held the next card over the map, not turning it yet. She felt a small, but definite tug over the Hierophant. She looked at Faith.

“Tower,” Faith wagered.

“I’m going for Moon,” decided Lily. She turned it over. The Tower.

“Yay!” Faith chuckled. “Wait, you’ve picked up two cards.”

Lily rubbed the cards between her fingers, and the Moon slid out from under the Tower. 

A shadow fell over them, as Sam came back with three cups of water for them. He saw the cards Lily had just laid out. “Magic, Deception and Disaster on that house? Poor guy. I was just thinking, why’s he called Grey? His parents were called Kilton.” 

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Lily said thoughtfully, gathering up her cards and her map. 

“Adopted, maybe?” Suggested Faith. “That Dakota chick said he was pissed off with his Dad, so maybe he took the mom’s name.”

“Something for somebody to look up, then,” said Lily.

“We can case the court house while we’re at it,” said Faith, happy again. 

Sam nodded, picked up his stuff. “You coming, Lily?”

“No, I’ll get you later. This‘ll take a while.”

***

“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t find any documentation regarding those names you mentioned. Not under either of those surnames, and not for those parents.” The clerk was apologetic. 

“Just means he wasn’t born here,” said Faith.

“But he wasn’t adopted here, either. There’s no records of them going out of state. So where the hell did he come from?” Sam played with his pen. It wasn’t helping. “’Scuse me! Could I see the death certificates for these people?”

“Are you a reporter?” Asked the clerk. “I thought we’d been through all that last year.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but he was on the clock.

“Honey,” said Faith, wearing a blue wifebeater, and tight jeans, leaned over the desk, giving the clerk an eyeful. “Do I look like a reporter?”

He coloured. “Um, no, ma’am.”

“All we’re doing is some research for college. We gotta find details of a real story, and we chose this one, because it’s as good as any.” She leaned over a little further, drawing her finger up to his nametag. “Mister Dawkins.”

“I’ll see what I can find, Miss.” The clerk hurried away.

“He’s got a spring in his step,” grinned Sam.

“I hope he washes his hands before he gives us the files.” Faith grimaced, then leapt over the desk.

“I really didn’t need that visual. I‘m going to find some brain bleach.” Sam followed. They started looking for the court house plans.

“Hey man, nobody needs that visual. Just think about Lily jacking you off. That’s what I think about when -”

“Whoa! Whoa! Lily, what? We’re not! She doesn’t think about me like that, does she?” 

“I think I got it, get your cellphone ready,” she said, getting hers out and taking photos of the plans.

Sam did the same. “Faith! Lily doesn’t ……does she?”

“Give it up, Sammy. I know you've been at it for at least the last month.” Faith gave an evil laugh, turned as she heard a noise. “He’ll be back in about 40 seconds.”

“We’re done.” They put the plans back, and jumped back over the desk, taking up much the same positions. The clerk ambled through the door, and back up to the desk. 

“Here you are ma’am. Copy of the death certificates for the Kiltons. Anything else I can get you?”

Faith put on her dirtiest smile, shook her head. “No thanks, baby. Can I call back if I’ve forgotten anything?”

“Sure ma’am, anytime.” He looked sad that she was leaving. Sam had started to gather up their stuff.

“Thanks for your help.” Faith winked before she turned, putting an extra bit of wiggle in her walk.

“You’re ……Actually there are no words.” Sam shook his head as they made their way back to the car, pulling out his cell and dialling. “I’ll call Lily. See where she’s got to. Hey Lily? It’s Sam. We’re about ready to go. You? Yeah, I’ll pick you up there.” He hung up. “She’s at a graveyard.”

“I'll admit that things have happened.” They walked on for a bit coming up to the car. “How'd you guess?”

“I’m not telling, Sammy. Already said too much. You’re just too damn easy to talk to. Sometimes I forget you’re a guy.” Faith just got in the car. “The kids mentioned seeing you at it.”

“Oh my God.” Sam started up the car. “Yeah, it's been about a month.”

“You know what you're doing? You don't do casual and if this goes wrong, you'll be homeless.” Faith looked across at him. “I'm just sayin', man. I think you two are great together.”

“So do I,” Sam agreed. “ I mean, it's early days, but we really could be one of the great ones.”

“And at least she knows everything. No lies and she can take care of herself,” Faith continued. 

“Faith! That's got nothing to do with it!” Sam snapped, colouring. 

Faith looked at him for a long moment. “She's my best friend. She gave me a roof when I was pregnant and homeless. Don't even think about fucking her over.”

“I won't. It's in there, I won't deny that, but it's not why we're together.” Sam checked the street before turning. “She just gets me and that's rare. I never even had that with Jess.”

“OK, I'll buy that.” Faith sat back in the seat. “How long you gonna keep the hiding in closets up? Because it's really fucking funny watching y'all sneak about. You're both crap at it.”

“Damn. Really?”

***

It took Lily about half an hour to walk to the graveyard. She wandered up and down the neat rows for a while until she saw a blond man in his fifties kneeling in front of a grave. Her first thought was “So that’s what Dean will look like in thirty years.” She never asked herself where that thought came from.

Even at this distance, she felt her tattoos begin to itch. Lily busied herself reading someone’s headstone, while she tried to work out if she should approach him. He looked her way a few times, probably getting the same feelings from her as she got from him.

Eventually, he got up and left the cemetery, giving her a final look. She waved in acknowledgement and he waved back, but didn’t come over. Lily waited five minutes, before going over to the grave. Anne Kilton, 1961 - 1983. She looked around for any other Kiltons, but Paul and Kathy Grey Kilton were buried next to Ross Grey North. So Faith was right on that one. Either way, they were clear over the other side of the graveyard. Must just be a coincidence.

Sam called her just then, and she told him where she was. She forgot to mention Anne Kilton, or the older guy who looked like Dean would.

***

“We gotta work out what stupid-ass scheme we’ll use to get into the courthouse.” Sam said as they pulled into the courtyard of the motel.

“Don’t see the light on, so Dean’ll probably be in the bar,” Faith surmised as she craned her neck to look into the window of their rooms. 

“You go on, I want to get changed first,” said Lily, glaring at Sam, as he tried not to laugh. A bird had crapped in her hair while she’d been waiting on Sam. He had found this highly amusing all the way back. Lily hadn’t shared this opinion or his observation that it was “Supposed to be lucky.”

She watched while they strolled off in the direction of the bar, then went into her room.

As Faith had guessed, Dean was to be found propping up the bar and chatting to Dakota, who made four beers appear, and wouldn’t accept any money for them. “Mike said on the house. So here you go.”

“She seems a hell of lot happier than she did the first night,” observed Sam, as they moved over to a table.

“We had a good talk. Spent the day watching Godzilla movies. She got a lot off her chest.” Dean replied. “Pizza, burgers, or fajitas?”

“Pizza. We’re going to break into the courthouse,” said Faith. She looked over to the door as it opened, and some random guy came in. “She’s taking her time. Sam, you go and check on her. You know what she‘s like about her hair.” 

“She’s probably working on some evil spell. Or Nair in the shampoo.” Sam stared mock-glumly into his beer. “You share with her. She’s not going to kill you.”

“I’ve never met anyone with a talent for pissing off demons and summoners like you.” Dean shook his head in wonder. “She’s probably calling something big and nasty right now. Sorry Sam, I’m making up for the last five lonely nights.”

Faith grinned. “There’s an idea.”

“Oh, don’t start that again, Faith,” groaned Sam.

“Start what?” Asked Dean.

“What we were talking about last week, before you went off to that willow-the-wisp gig,” Faith replied. “Did you know Dean pimps your ass out, Sam? He should charge.” She passed Sam her keys.

“Oh, that.” Dean swigged from his beer. “You’re right, she should be here by now.” He took out his phone, shook his head. “It’s just ringing.” He looked over at Sam.

Sam sighed. “OK, I’m going, I’m going. Just don‘t drink my beer.” 

It didn’t take him long to walk back to the motel. He knocked on the door first “Lily? It‘s Sam.”

Nothing. Cautiously, he unlocked the door, and went in. It was sheer instinct that made him duck. The knife made a very loud thud as it hit the plaster. “What the fuck? Lily! It’s Sam!”

He looked from the knife jammed into the wall, back to Lily. “Get some clothes on!” 

“You’re the one sneaking into my room, and I’m the one who’s supposed to get dressed!?”

“I used the keys! And you should know what I sound like by now!” Sam protested. “I’ve been living with you for a year! Couldn‘t you put a towel or something on?”

“I’m just out the shower, there’s a guy breaking into my room. Oh, yeah, I’ll preserve my dignity while I get raped or killed or eaten. I’ll give myself something else to fight with.” Being naked was plainly not a barrier to being indignant.

“You could have stabbed me!” Sam wondered why he was starting to lose this fight. 

“I knew you’d duck! No one else would! Shoot first, ask questions later!” She stomped over to the wall, and jiggled the knife out. She stomped back into the bathroom for her clothes. She wasn’t bothered if Sam could see her.

“What were you doing with a knife in the shower, anyway?” He demanded.

“I take it everywhere. You never know who’ll come sneaking into your room.” Lily could do indignant dressed, as well. She stormed out the room, and onto the street. Sam locked up, and ran after her.

“Faith gave me the fucking keys!”

 

***

“Play along,” said Sam, when they got to the bar. He put his arm around her shoulders, and pushed open the door. Lily shook her head, but went with it anyway.

“Thirty minutes! Pizza’s getting cold, man! What the fuck were you doing that took half an hour?” Demanded Faith. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know!” Teased Lily. She had a wicked little smile playing around her lips. She settled back against Sam, playing with one of his hands. Sam whispered something into her hair. Whatever it was looked like fun, judging by their faces.

“You’re kidding!” Faith said incredulously.

“’Bout fucking time,” said Dean, who looked extremely pleased with himself. “I’d toast you, but we need refills.”

“I’ll get them,” said Sam, leaning in to Lily, giving her a deep, slow, and extremely hot kiss, before getting up to go to the bar.

“Find out anything in the graveyard?” Asked Dean. “Before you got flipped by a bird?” 

“Eat shit, Dean and I’ll tell you later,” she said as Sam came back, kissing her again as he sat down. They all picked up their beers.

“To us,” said Faith, simply. 

“Who’s like us?” Dean picked up the toast.

“Nobody,” Sam grinned.

“Cause they’re all dead,” finished Lily.

They clinked bottles.

“So what have you been talking about when I left?” Asked Sam.

“What the hell was taking you so long, and how we’re going to break into the courthouse,” replied Dean. 

“Going in the day’ll be easier,” said Lily. “Check the alarm or something like.”

“It won’t give us enough time, and we don’t want to get caught on camera where we shouldn’t be,” said Dean shaking his head. “Be better going in at night. More time. Less people.”

“Security guard?” Faith reminded him. “We’re supposed to be in and out.”

Men In Black was playing on the big screen TV in the bar, and for a moment they found themselves watching it. With perfect timing, they all turned back to each other and laughed. “That’s what we should do,” said Sam. “Infest the courthouse, then clear it out. We’d have as long as we wanted and unfettered access.”

“I might still have the overalls from Chicago in the trunk.” Dean thought for a moment. 

“The ones with your names on them? You had them last month when we - Never mind, you still got them.” Faith said, snuggling in closer to Dean. “So what are we going to infest Cheever Lake Courthouse with?” 

“I’d say ants, but they would be too big a pain in the ass to collect,” mused Lily. “Wasps, but it’s the wrong time of year.”

“I’m not doing wasps,” said Faith, resolutely.

“We want something that isn’t going to bite us or sting us. Can’t you just magic some up, Lily?” Asked Dean.

“Apports are a bitch. It’s doable, but it’s usually more trouble than it’s worth.” Lily shook her head. “Living apports are worse than dead ones. Alexandra David Neil had a bastard of a time trying to get a grip on her monk. Took her months to uncreate him. Imagine the havoc beasties could cause.”

“Rats,” suggested Sam.

“Fuck off,” suggested Dean.

“They’d all take too long anyway,” Faith said, fiddling with her beer. “We need something that’ll only take a couple of days to get going.” She bit her lip as she thought. “Rats. We need something like rats…..Imps. Civvies can‘t tell the difference between an imp and a rat, and that‘s all we need.”

“We’re gonna need a lotta beer and pizza, then.” Dean looked happier than he had with the rats idea. “Naw, whiskey. Quicker.”

“Imps. Oh joy.” Lily helped herself to what was left of the pizza. 

“Cast some kind of attraction spell, then. Draw them to the courthouse.” Sam liberated a slice of pizza.

“Imps and spells don’t mix. You have to do it the hard way.” She dropped her head on the table and groaned. “It’ll take all fucking day. Dean, life was easier when you just fucked the bartenders, then fucked out of town.”

Sam snorted. “Pool table’s empty. Mixed doubles?”

“Anything goes rules?”

“More fun that way,” agreed Sam. “Loser has to buy all the pizzas.”

***

“I fucking hate Imps,” muttered Lily under her breath. She and Sam had cleared out every pizza they could find in a three mile radius. 

“What’s that?” Asked Dakota. 

“I never want to see another pizza again.” She began cutting up the latest batch that had come out of the oven at the bar. “Tell Mike thanks for lending us the oven.”

“It’s not a problem,” replied Dakota. “But why are we doing this?”

“Because you have a pool table and not a darts board. I’d have kicked their asses at darts. It‘s not my fault I grew up in a fucking tent.” Lily spoke the way she chopped, staccato. 

“What? How come? Were your parents hippies or survivalists or something?” Asked Dakota, sweeping up the little squares of pizza into bags.

“Archaeologists. I grew up on dig sites all over India and the Middle East.”

“Wow. That sounds….you must have seen some amazing things,” she said, awestruck. 

“I‘ve seen my fair share.”

“Will this help Jake?” Dakota asked quietly, indicating the pizzas. None had mentioned him, but it wasn’t a hard leap to make.

“It might. It might not,” Lily answered honestly.

“Can I help?”

Lily stopped chopping, and looked at her. “That might not be a good idea. You’re -”

“Crazy?” Dakota gave a little smile.

“I was going to say ‘emotionally delicate’.”

Dakota shrugged. “Same thing.”

Lily shook her head. “Oh, you’re crazy alright, but not they way they say. It doesn’t matter who tells you to jump, it’s still your choice to jump. You’re not crazy because demons, computers or the voices in your head told to kill your professor. You’re crazy because you chose to do it.”

Dakota looked like Lily had slapped her. “It wasn’t like that.”

“I don’t care what it was like, Dakota, I’ve got imps to catch and I fucking hate imps.” Lily went back to chopping. Dakota was looking at her like she’d sprouted horns.

“What’s an imp?” Dakota asked, hesitantly. She looked like she’d just found out that Santa was real, and couldn’t quite come to terms with it.

“It’s a little round furry monster bout six inches tall. They’re very mischievous, but not nasty. Bit like gremlins, but without trying to kill people.” Lily said it like she was explaining what a chipmunk was.

“I’m supposed to be crazy,” Dakota said, looking almost pleased. “Can I come? If this helps Jake, I want to be in on it. I want to help.”

“I don’t know -” Lily began.

“Please. Like I’m really going to tell my shrink that I‘ve seen little monsters in the woods? I’m not going back to Fairlie.” Dakota knew that Lily knew what she meant.

“We’ll have to go out at night. What would Mike say?” Asked Lily.

“He’s just glad I’ve found some friends.” Dakota waved around the kitchen. “Why’d do you think he’s cool with this?”

“OK, fine. You can come. Dress up warm, and don’t get in the way.” She smiled. “Actually, imp hunting is something that everyone should do once. It’s brilliant and completely stupid and I fucking hate imps.”

***

“I can’t sit in the back, dude, it’s just not natural. I’m used to seeing the road.” Dean’s voice carried across the lot, and people were looking out to see what was happening. Dakota had come across at 11pm sharp, giggling, to find the four of them sitting around Lily’s Jeep. Faith had passed her a huge bag of chips that she’d been sharing with Lily while they watched the show. In the trunk was 30 pounds of pizza, six bottles of cheap whiskey and a huge bag of sea-salt. 

“I’m not sitting in the back, I’m too damn tall,” Sam hissed. “I’m not sitting with my knees at my ears. You’re sitting in the back.”

“Dude, people are watching. It doesn’t bother me, but Lily doesn’t like it. Now get in the Jeep so we can get going.” Dean tried to make it sound like Sam was being unreasonable, and dammit, it was working.

“I’m not sitting in the back.” 

“Oh, yeah, you are.”

“I’m not. It’s my girlfriend’s car. I get first pick, not you.” Sam played his ultimate card. Faith gave Lily an amused there-you-go look. 

“I’m not sitting in the back, Sammy. I hate sitting in the back when someone else drives. I gotta sit in the front.” Dean’s voice had dropped and he was starting to hiss. Sure sign he was under pressure.

“Toss a coin,” suggested Faith, walking between them. She looked back at Lily.

Lily rooted in her pocket for a coin. “Heads or tails?”

“Heads,” said Dean.

“Tails,” said Sam, shooting Lily a warning look.

She flipped the coin up, showed it to Dakota. “Sorry, Dean. You’re in the back.”

Faith slapped his ass. “We’ll let you sit in the middle. It’ll be like old times.”

“Sorry, Dean,” said Lily. “But I’d rather eye up Sam’s ass getting in the Jeep than yours.”

She certainly got an eyeful as Sam wriggled over the stickshift. She winked at Faith and Dakota . The latter looked ridiculously happy. Even Dean complaining about Lily’s driving and her taste in music all the way there didn’t shift the smile from her face. Luckily for the rest of the car, the journey only lasted about 20 minutes.

They walked for about two miles, coming to a small clearing, Lily leading the way, the other four carrying the bags between them. “What’s all this for?” Asked Dakota.

“You’re about to see,” said Lily. “It used to be bread, honey and milk, but this works just as well. Get the salt and start making lots of little circles about a foot across. Soak the pizza squares in the whiskey, and dump a handful in the middle. You have to get them while they’re feeding. Too quick otherwise. They’ll bite you and try to tickle you.”

“Tickle you?” Dakota giggled, taking a bag of pizza and a bottle.

“In delicate places. Evil little shits.” Sam had started pouring out the salt circles. “How many? About a hundred?”

“Sounds about right.” Lily started on the piles of pizza. “Dakota, just grab them and stuff’em in the sack. They can’t climb out of fabric. Snags their claws.”

They’d just finished the circles, when chittering was heard. Dakota stared open-mouthed as several little black furry balls with big red eyes, little arms and little legs waddled cautiously over to the first pile. She moved to go, but Dean held her back, shook his head, “Not yet,” he whispered.

The imps started eating. Seeing as nothing happened to the first lot, more began to emerge. “They look like kids toys,” she marvelled.

“Better off with a dog. Shit’s easier to clean up,” said Faith. “OK, go!” She ran into the middle of the first lot, grabbing them and trying to stuff them in her sack. The others ran in and pretty soon it was chaos.

The little imps wriggled and giggled, and it didn’t help that they were round, you needed both hands, which meant you had to put the sack down, and whatever you had in it soon bolted off back to the food. Of course the food had whiskey in it, which made them amorous, and the sight of furry little balls trying to drunkenly screw was just too funny for words.

Never mind the ones who couldn’t decide if they were screwing or eating, and tried to do both at the same time. Often they couldn’t with each other, so human legs would do instead. That made it easier to catch them, because you could just dump them in the bag, but while you were doing that, two more would jump on you.

And you’d see the others in the same predicament, and it was just too fucking funny! It’s dark, and you end up falling over, and they’re swarming over you, and suddenly you’re getting molested by little furry balls. With little arms and little legs. Trying to stuff whiskey sodden pizza up your nose. While humping your leg.

And you realise, you fucking hate imps.

***

“How long we been at this?” Asked Faith, putting down her sack to disentangle one from her hair.

“About three hours. I told you to cover your hair. It’s not like we haven’t done this before.” Lily gritted her teeth as the imp bit her fingers, but she managed to help Faith tease it out her hair.

“Think we got enough?” Faith held open her bag for it. “We still got to get back to the jeep, drive to the courthouse and back.”

“Much you got? I think I‘ve got around twenty.” Lily held up her bag, trying to work out how many squirming bodies were in it. “Guys? Call it a night.”

Dean waved an acknowledgement, and went back to helping Sam haul the imps off Dakota. They came to the jeep a few minutes later. Most of the imps ignored them, more interested in getting what was left of the pizza. They shook off the last few, and dumped the rest in the trunk. They were on the road in minutes. Cheever Lake was only about forty minutes from where they’d parked the Jeep. The imps chittered and rattled in their bags all the way there.

They reached the courthouse, and tipped them down an air vent without incident.

“That was fucking amazing!” Giggled Dakota. “I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun!”

“Imps are fun?” Said Sam. “I’ve got bites in places I didn’t know I had. One got up my t-shirt.”

“What did it do?” Faith raised a suggestive eyebrow.

“It bit me, Faith. Work the rest out for yourself.”

“They have real trouble with buttons,” said Dean. “But they’ll take a zipper down no problem. Not going there again,” and his cocky grin cracked the mud on his face. 

They were coming up to the turn-off for the house, when Dakota went quiet. 

“Are you ok?” asked Faith.

“Can we stop? I’m going to be sick.”

Lily had come up the road by this time, and turned into it. Dakota stumbled out the car, throwing up noisily. Faith got some wet wipes out the first aid kit, got ready to hand them to the blonde when she recovered. Dakota fell over into the foetal position, and began to speak softly. They could just about make out what she was saying

“The house up there….it’s where Jake did it…” she murmured. “Oh, God….,” horror was mounting in her voice. “…..Jake was telling the truth…..he was crazy, we thought he was crazy….he said he had visions…..”

“What? What do you mean? Visions?” Lily had gone over and hauled Dakota to her feet. “What do you mean by visions?”

“He saw demons! He saw stuff that was going to happen! He said Connie saw them too!” Dakota sobbed as Lily shook her.

“Hey! Calm down!” Dean grabbed hold of Lily and pulled her away. He didn’t let go. Dakota fell back into the mud, sobbing. “When the hell was she supposed to tell us?”

“You stupid, stupid little bitch,” Lily said, coldly. “Jake is psychic. And if he saw demons, then he’s a fucking summoner. And he called a demon. There’s a limit to what a normal can call, but psychics and summoners don’t have any limits. Why the hell didn’t you tell us?”

“Because I’m crazy!” Screamed back Dakota. “How was I supposed to know it was all true? I killed a guy because a phone call told me to, and they said I was crazy!”

“Bacon’s cooking!” Faith’s warning cut through everything. She shivered, rubbing her tattoo through her sleeve. She looked up towards the house. Sam moved to the back of the Jeep and opened the trunk, slightly, feeling for the catch that opened Lily’s weapons locker. A familiar feeling in his temple started to throb. 

A police SUV drew up beside them. 

“Oh, fuck,” muttered Dean. He let Lily go.

The cop got out the car. Luckily there was only one of them, and the way the jeep was parked, he couldn’t read the plate from the car.

Sam had the locker open, and was feeling along the weaponry. Lily kept her guns loaded and in a strict order. He felt for the mark on the .45s that meant wrought-iron rounds.

“Everything OK here?” The cop was trying to keep it neutral, but his hand hovered near his gun. “You folks look like you’ve had a bit of an accident.”

“We’re fine, officer,” Lily picked it up, pleasantly.

“You sure, ma’am? You’re bleeding. I can take you and your friends to hospital, though I’m afraid I can only take the ladies. I don’t have enough room for the gentlemen.” He looked more closely at Dean. “Say, son, you look very familiar. Have I seen you before?”

“No, sir, I don’t think so.” Dean had a great poker face. The mud helped as well.

“You been up at the old North place? We’ve had a lot of kids going up there, getting spooked. You look a little old for kids. Murder buffs? ” The officer was still eyeing Dean suspiciously. Now he was starting to sound angry. “I knew Ross North. He was a good man. He raised that obscene little bastard when his own father couldn‘t look at him. No fucking wonder Paul Kilton was a drunk. They say he must have seen what Jake Grey really was. But you‘d know that already.” He was still looking at Dean. “Do you know what the joke was? Grey wasn’t even his kid. Wasn’t hers either.”

“Officer, I’m an NPS ranger. We’re just having a quick vacation, and we went out to see what we could see at night. My ID is in the car. Can I get it?” Lily pointed towards the car.

“Sure, ma’am, and I’ll be seeing some ID from the rest of you, please.” He watched Lily limp around to the drivers’ side, and haul herself up. She got the docs out of the glove box. Sam slid a handgun towards her, and she palmed it, pulling out her cane as she got out of the car. She saw Faith touch his arm, and make a tiny gesture to the trees.

“Here’s my ID,” she said, holding it out to the officer. He came closer to get it, and that was when he saw - 

“Dakota Wilson? I got told you were out. I’d have thought that this was the last place you’d want to be,” he said, something going flat in his voice. He drew his gun. “How’d the fuck you get out, Grey? Coming back to finish what you started?” He swept them all with his firearm, before bringing his aim back to Dean. “All of you. Get on the fucking ground now!”

“I can’t,” said Lily. “He’s not Jake Grey, and if you got on your radio, you’d find that out. We’ll wait.”

“Sir, I’m just getting my wallet out my pants, OK?” Dean went to get his wallet -

Saw Faith and Sam hit the deck as something, huge, ugly, terrifying, crashed its way out of the forest. Dean dropped a second after they did. Dakota began to scream, high and piecing.

“Keep your fucking hands where I can - What the fuck?” The cop fired, as whatever the hell it was stood in front of him, taking the bullet full in the chest. It roared as the cop emptied his clip into it and all the while, the cop was screaming an endless mantra “Whathefuckwhathefuckwhathefuckwhathefuckwhathfuck?” finger hauling back the trigger, not noticing the empty clicking. It moved towards him.

Sam and Faith opened fire, and at this the beast, devil, demon, screamed as the bullets thudded into its back, dark, thick fluid oozing from the wounds. Its claws twisted backwards, trying to dislodge them, but it couldn’t reach. It spun round, stalking towards them. 

Lily flung her piece at Dean, grabbing Dakota and hauling her backwards, behind the Jeep. Dean caught it deftly, throwing himself in its path, aiming and firing off two rounds. “Stop beatin’ on girls, bitch! Pick on a real man! “

The demon turned back towards the cop. He’d frozen when his rounds had run short, but now, he ran into his SUV, locking the doors, frantically trying to raise Control on his radio. It smashed its hand through the glass, grabbing hold of the cop, trying to drag him through the broken window.

“Hey, asshole? Did you just call me a girl?” Faith somersaulted over him, clipping the back of Dean‘s head. She hit the demon full on in the chest, sending it stumbling. Faith kicked it hard in the stomach, but it grabbed her by the throat, trying to get enough purchase to break the neck of the struggling slayer, while she desperately held its other arm at bay. 

“Faith! “ Sam yelled as he ran forward with a machete, driving it deep into the side of the demon, but was dispatched by blow from the creature’s tail. Razor sharp ridges tore open his side. From the corner of his eye, he could see Lily leave Dakota, reach into the locker, pull out a belt of silver throwing knives. She got herself in a better position to throw, away from the Jeep. “Faith! I can’t aim for shit when you struggle like that!” 

“Goddammit! Hold the fuck still, Faith!” Dean was trying to aim. Faith managed to give them the finger.

“Dean! Down! “ Sam yelled as Lily muttered something, and flung the knives. They hit true and deep, and began to bear down, as if being pulled by someone. Lily’s face was contorted with the effort. The creature screamed and dropped Faith. She lay on the ground for a moment gasping and coughing, trying to crawl away.

The demon reached for the knives and pulled them out, hauling against them, as if they were heavier than they appeared. It finally got them free and tossed them aside. Blood began to course from Lily’s nose.

It went back after Faith. Dean managed to get himself in front of her, and fired, twice. It hurt the demon, but didn’t fell it, but it stopped. It turned away towards Lily, Dean firing again.

It turned its attention to the cop, he’d given up trying raise Control. He was staring at the abomination before him. It hauled the door off the SUV, dragging the officer out, and throwing him against the side. He had never stopped screaming and screaming, turning into a liquid gurgle as it clawed deep into him, ripping him apart, making a sound like shaking a cereal box. It flung pieces of him hither and yon, covering the police SUV, making little patters as it dripped to the ground. 

You could hear it even over Dakota screaming.

“Can’t you just fucking die?” Dean emptied the rest of the clip into the demon. It writhed and twisted. Iron rounds were agony, but it wasn’t bringing it down. It stopped, screaming, turning round to see who was tormenting it, but never coming near Dean. 

The fiend shuddered as Lily threw another couple of silver knives. It moved towards her. “It’s moving slower now! We’re getting the bastard!”

“You know how to shoot, right?” Faith recovered, pulling a machete from the locker, and a clip of iron bullets, which she threw to Dean. He reloaded.

Lily’s cane fell away to reveal a gleaming silver sword, and she swung for its head as the demon roared and reached out for her. It moved at the last minute, and the sword missed, cutting off one of its horns, exposing its skull. She drew back her arms to drive her sword into the demon when Dean fired. 

It flinched, and her thrust drove into the monster’s hand. It tore the sword free, and flung it aside. Lily took a deep breath, before throwing herself at the beast, grasping at the nearest wound and tearing at it. The demon threw Lily against a tree, but she’d done some damage, doubling the size of the injury. 

Faith swung her machete, the blade embedding firmly itself in the forearm of the demon, black blood flowing .She held on as long as she could, but the demon hauled its arm away, wrenching the hilt from her grasp. It was clear it had lost the use of that hand. She spin kicked one of the wounds, and was smashed aside by the tail. 

The air around it went shimmered and it almost disappeared, as Lily screamed, blocking it. The creature spun, smacking her across the right hip, sending her sprawling. “Just a little longer….We just need a little longer,” Lily sobbed out. 

Sam had crawled over to the creature, grabbing Lily’s sword from the ground, driving it into the knee of the creature, and up its leg. It screamed and fell. Dean emptied the last of the clip into its head, as it ported away.

Dakota had stopped screaming, and started laughing. “Did you see that? That monster had tits! It had tits! I never knew they could have tits!”

Faith had picked herself up, and was looking to see what weapons she could salvage. Sam was kneeling in the mud, clutching his ribs. The bleeding was slowing. Dean helped him up. A look passed between the brothers. So did the same thought.

“Look on the bright side, dude,” Sam stuttered out. “You get to sit in the front on the way back.”

***

Dean drove back slowly. He didn’t want stopped by the cops. Dakota was still hysterical in the back, veering between laughing and crying.

“How long do you think we got before the cops check the scene?” Sam winced.

“Probably there already,” Dean replied. “Faith, can’t you shut her up?”

“Glove box,” Lily said under her breath. “I got powerful shit in there. Bottle of water as well.”

Faith held out her hand for them. Sam got them out, groaning as the seatbelt tightened against his ribs, and as he passed them to her. “Beats being strangled,” he smiled weakly.

“Dakota! Dakota!” Faith was trying to persuade the blonde to take the tablet. Dakota hit the water out her hand. “Not doping me! Never doping me again. I’m not crazy. I was never fucking crazy!”

She smacked the water out Faith’s hand again, hitting Lily’s hip. “Jesus Christ on a pogo stick!”

Despite themselves, they laughed. “Kind of sedate for you, Lily,” wheezed Sam.

“Sure it’s not broken?” Asked Faith.

Lily shook her head. “You get her arms, I’ll get that down her neck.”

Dakota had gone back to raving that the demon had tits. “On three?” Faith said.

“One, two, three-” then the two brunettes grabbed hold of the blonde, forcing the tablet and the water down her. Dakota tried to resist, trying to hide the tablet or spit it out, but Faith slammed shut her jaw. “Yr rtin me!”

“Careful Faith!” Dean protested. “You’ll break her jaw!” 

“At least she’ll be quiet!” Snapped Lily. They got it on the fourth go. Dakota passed out within 15 minutes.

“What was that stuff?” asked Sam.

“Heavy duty painkillers that I take when it gets too much. Help yourself.” Lily looked at the packet in her hand longingly, before passing them back to Sam. He put them back in the glove-box.

They drove back to the motel in silence, sharing an anxious look before turning in to the parking lot. “No police.” Faith breathed a little easier.

“He didn’t have time to call in my plates,” pointed out Lily. “I don’t think he saw the passenger side, either. There’s nothing to link us to that site, barring my treads.”

“Worthless without knowing whose treads they are.” Dean was looking suspiciously at the shadows. He glanced across at Sam, who shook his head. They got out, bringing Dakota into the room with them. She was the only one sleeping. 

“Lucky fucking her,” muttered Faith. She looked at Lily and Sam. “Go to bed if you want.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” he replied.

“Me either,” agreed Lily. “Put the kettle on.”

“Already done it.” Dean leafed through the paperwork that Faith and Sam had brought back the previous day. “Who’s Anne Kilton? You‘ve got her death certificate.”

“What?” Faith came over. “The clerk must have given us that by mistake. We were just getting Jake Grey’s parents‘ stuff.”

“That’s weird. There’s nothing on it.” Dean looked at it more closely. Sam held his hand out for it. Dean passed it over.

“There can’t have been a body. They do that kind of thing when someone gets declared legally dead.” He’d got out the laptop.

“Kilton’s not a common name. It can’t be coincidence,” said Dean. He thought for a moment, before turning to Lily. “You never told us why you were in a graveyard.”

“Tarot cards told me to have a look. Oh!” She exclaimed as she remembered. “I found Anne Kilton’s grave! There was a guy there, and he looked like you, but he was ageing with John. He’s a sorceror. It all went out my head with that bloody bird shitting on my hair.”

“You and your fucking hair. You’re worse than she is - Oww!“ Dean yelped when Faith punched his arm. “Stop beating me up, Faith. You’re damaging my manly pride.“ 

Faith snorted. “I love you too, asshole. Task at hand? How‘d she have a grave if they don‘t have a body?“ 

“They didn’t have a body for Mom or Jess, but they still put up a stone and had a funeral,” said Sam, quietly. Lily reached across, and laid a gentle hand on his arm. Sam hesitated for moment, before covering it with his. He gave Lily a tiny smile.

They were quiet for a moment as Sam worked on the laptop, checking stuff back and forth with the certificates. “Did you ever work out how you knew the name Kilton?”

“No. I take it you just have?” She pulled her chair round to the computer. “Ivan Reitz? I know that name. Shit, that’s the guy I saw at the grave. He’s a really powerful sorceror and demonologist. His wife went missing, what? Twenty-odd years ago. She was pregnant, nearly dropping it. He’s supposed to have done it, but they couldn’t prove anything. I don’t remember the exact details, but it caused ructions. I remember one of my Dad’s friends ranting on about it for hours. That was a fun dig.”

“What kind of ructions?” Asked Dean. He looked at the photos from the news reports on the screen, and again, there was a definite resemblance to him. Faith could see it too. 

“I think they were worried that they were going to crack down on Occultists. It fizzled out because the North West is far too sensible for that kind of shit. Police just put it down to a load of crackpots fighting amongst themselves, but yeah, it’s a good motive for murder. I think he was a Satanist. That was the problem more than anything.”

“24 years ago, May 2,” Sam said quietly. “That’s date she went missing.”

“Fucking hell,” said Faith. “Anne Kilton was his wife?” She grabbed the death certificate, and there it was in black and white.

“How’d we miss that?” Lily said in disbelief. 

“Too busy with the other Kiltons. We’d have found it eventually.” Sam shut down the laptop.

“They’ve got to be related. Coincidence is God’s way of telling you you’re not seeing the bigger picture. Oh, shit….” Dean’s voice trailed off as a thought struck him. “She was pregnant, right? Anne Kilton? She’s shacked up with a hardcore Satanist. What would you do?”

“You think maybe they killed her? Her own family?” Sam leaned back in the chair, then remembered his side. “Took the baby? I guess it matches the records. And what that cop said.” He shivered, he couldn’t help it.

“I can’t think of anything else,” replied Dean. 

“If that’s the case, maybe it wasn’t Jake that called that demon. Maybe it was his father. His real father.” Lily speculated. 

“Some kind of revenge trip?” Asked Faith. “He called something that fucked up his kids’ life like that? I don’t buy that.”

“Payback’s a bitch. I’m not liking the dates on all this, either.” Dean was resisting the urge to throw up. “It’s Hallowe’en tomorrow.” 

“You should have let me reverse that circle,” Lily said darkly.

***

Dakota woke up with a start, looked around wildly, crouching up against the wall. Jake was sitting at the kitchenette in the motel room. How the hell…? The room was grey in the dawn light. She looked at herself quickly. Fully dressed, apart from her boots. “Last night…” she started, words failing her. “You drugged me!”

Dean stayed at the table. “Sorry about that. There’s coffee.” He poured her a mug while he sat. The radio was playing quietly in the background, a news report about a Cheever Lake Sheriff officer found mauled by a bear. Faith was asleep in the other bed.

“It was real.” She sounded like a little girl, but oddly hopeful.

“It was all real.”

“I was never crazy.” Dakota came over to the table.

“Not like that. But I don’t think your shrink needs to know.”

“I was …. Never.” There should have been so many emotions flitting across her face, but for now there was only room for two, shocked incomprehension. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen it. Wouldn’t be the last. “Does this mean that Jake’s not crazy?”

“I don’t know. I wish I did.” Dean said this sadly. “It doesn’t make any difference to him just now.”

“I’ll have to get going in a moment,” she said. “What about the-”

She ran for the toilet. She came out a few minutes later. Dean handed her a wash cloth, and a drink of water. “Thanks,” she murmured.

“You OK?” He asked.

“I think I will be,” Dakota said as she gave a weak smile. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, before walking across to the bar.

***

Mike was waiting for her to come back in. He’d fallen asleep on the couch with the light on and the TV blaring. 

It was still blaring when he woke up.

***

They took the Impala to Cheever Lake. They didn’t want to run the risk of the Jeep being seen back in the town. 

“All that hassle to get those damn imps, and we didn‘t need the court records in the end.” Sam chuckled, as he and Faith stood outside the courthouse. “Think they’ll be working this soon?”

Faith shook her head. 

“It’s not like you to be this quiet,” Sam said.

“That Jake guy is the exact same age as you, and he’s mixed up in demon shit. We’re mixed up in demon shit. It’s coming up to November 2nd. It’s all linked, and that is fucking scary.” Faith wasn’t really looking for comfort, so Sam didn’t offer any.

“C’mon,” he said. “Let’s get to work.”

***

Lily and Dean stood on Ivan Reitz’s door step. She rang the bell. A dog started barking and a man’s voice told Sammy to be quiet. Dean snorted.

Ivan Rietz opened the door.

“You were at the graveyard yesterday!” Lily exclaimed.

“My wife’s buried there,” Reitz said simply.

“No, she’s not,” Lily replied. 

Reitz looked tired and made to close the door, found he couldn’t. There was a slight crackle in the air. He looked more carefully at Lily. “You’re Thomas Scott’s kid.”

“One of them, anyway.”

“He’s only got two. Just as well. I don’t have a quarrel with Thom, and I don’t want one.” Reitz stood aside to let Lily in, and stared open-mouthed when he saw Dean properly. “Are you sure you’re not him?”

“Quite sure,” replied Dean, reaching for his wallet, 

“I guess you’ve had more of that than you’d like.” Reitz shook his head at the proffered money. “I’m not in the business so much now, but there’s still some folk I don’t want to piss off. Her father is one of them.”

“What did you raise at the North Place, three years ago?” Asked Lily.

“I didn’t raise anything. I haven’t been into that in 24 years. I just consult now, sell magic books.” Reitz gestured to the room around him.

“My dad was a consultant. It translated as killing evil shit,” said Dean, meeting Reitz’s gaze. “You can’t have all that power, and not use it, on way or another.”

“I’m seeing you out of courtesy,” Reitz reminded him. 

“Why did you stop?” Asked Lily.

“My wife. One of my pupils killed her, and the baby.”

***

“I don’t think he’s in,” said Faith at the desk. “There’s no one here.”

“Hello?” Called Sam. “Could we have some help please? Hello?”

The computer was off and there was an empty lunchbox in front of the clerk’s chair. There was banging and rattling coming from the door behind the desk. They heard the clerk swear, and growl, “I’ll get you, you little bastard!” There was banging and screaming, then the clerk came out, looking rather sweaty. He beamed when he saw Faith again.

“You’ll have to excuse me today ma’am. We’re having a strange day here. The computers are going insane. Switching themselves on and off. Files deleting themselves. We’ve even had pictures of toy balls coming out of the photocopier.” The poor clerk looked harassed. “And now I can’t find my lunch.”

“Maybe you have rats,” suggested Sam.

“On, no, sir. I’m sure we don’t have rats. Need to find the exterminator’s number,” he muttered to himself. “What can I do for you, now?”

“We need the birth certificates for Paul and Anne Kilton,” said Faith with her most seductive smile. 

“Of course, ma’am.” As soon as he got up, the chair started spinning itself and giggling. He couldn’t get out the room fast enough.

Faith and Sam fell about laughing. “If this works, we won’t need to come back in here,” Sam chuckled. 

“What a pity. Oh, wait, here’s my new boyfriend,” giggled Faith, as the beleaguered clerk came back to the desk. He waited until the chair had stopped, then tried to sit. It began spinning again and whacked him on the ass.

Sam took them from the clerk, holding them so Faith could see. “We were right. They were brother and sister.” He got out his Blackberry and called Dean. Faith went back to teasing the clerk.

“Maybe you have a poltergeist. We could give you a few numbers…..”

***

Dean took the call, listened for a moment, then hung up. “You never mentioned that Jake Grey’s father was your brother-in-law.”

“Not many round here knew that. Besides, I was questioned by the police, and that was that. The two cases weren’t connected.”

“Your nephew kills his family in a Satanic ritual, 21 years after your wife goes the same way, and you don’t think it’s connected?” There was a very subtle mockery in Dean’s tone.

“I didn’t know he was my nephew until after. I thought I’d seen him before, but none of it dawned on me till later. He wasn‘t using Anne’s name anyway. He used his mother‘s middle name.”

“Why do you think that Anne was killed by one of your students?” Asked Lily. “I know you found your garden covered in your wife’s blood and a pentagram. That just says it happened. Doesn’t say who did it.”

“He was the only one with a motive. Not that the police or your lot cared.” Reitz said bitterly. “You think we have enough problems with the neo-cons and the bible-bashers out to get us. But no. It’s something else when your own side comes for you. I only just survived that purge.”

Dean looked blank, so Reitz filled him in. “Some of the sorcerors from the Hermetic Orders, and the Old Religions regarded Satanists as shit on their shoes. Her father was one of the worst. A lot of people died.”

“And that’s why I appreciate you seeing us today, Mr Reitz. You didn’t have to. What student was it?” Lily pressed on.

“Aiden Kater. One of the guys Jake killed. He didn’t kill him in the ritual though. I think they had a fight at Kator’s house. All his magic didn’t save him from a pissed off kid.” Reitz sounded smug.

“Got what was coming to him?” Dean suggested.

“Won’t deny that.” Reitz paused. “Do you think he might have called the demon? He was capable of it.”

“Who do think he might have called?” Dean wanted to keep this on track.

“Why, The devil himself. He was a Satanist.”

“You can’t call what doesn’t exist.” Lily cut across him.

Reitz bristled. “And you‘d know because you’re a Summoner.”

“Better than being a fucked up Christian.” 

“You were always stuck-up bastards.” Reitz looked like he was gearing up for a fight.

“The Devil’s just a title that demons fight over, like dogs over scraps. Changes every week.” Lily looked like she’d be happy to give it to him.

“It was you last night, with that deputy, wasn’t it?” Reitz realised suddenly. “Whoever that demon is, it’s become corporeal.”

“Lots of demons can hold a form. Under the right ring, and circumstances,” Lily pointed out. “Not usually their true form, I’ll give you that.”

Dean listened, amazed at how quickly they’d gone from enemies to equals discussing their field.

“Takes too much energy. That’s why they prefer meat suits or -” Lily cut off the sentence. She got up abruptly. “C’mon, Dean, I’m done here.”

“Do you think your wife was possessed?” Asked Dean. He could have slapped her for using that particular term.

“I think I’d have known, but I can’t say no.” Reitz considered. “Her brother certainly thought so.”

“Dean. It’s. Time. To. Go.” Lily was at the door, and looked like she wanted to kill him. He ignored her.

“How come?” He turned back to Rietz.

“They were Roman Catholics. They styled themselves as demon hunters. They tried to have her exorcised, but someone called the police. I always thought they’d try to kidnap her before the baby was born, but Kater got there first.” 

Reitz stopped as he saw his thought written on the younger man’s face. Looking at Ivan Reitz as his world crashed down around him, yet again, was going to haunt him for the rest of his life. Dean knew that much.

Rietz looked past him, to Lily. His voice was breaking as he spoke. “I’ll never suffer enough for you, will I?”

Lily walked out. Dean hesitated, and was about to follow, when Ivan Rietz said one word, clearly and only.

“Nephilim.”

*** 

“Nephilim?” Dean murmured as they walked back to the car.

“Nice one, Dean,” Lily snapped.

“24 years and it never occurred to him? Not once?” Dean shot back.

“Clearly not!”

Dean unlocked the passenger side, and held open the door for her. “Why do you care about a fucked-up Christian?”

“I don’t. Satanists are bottom feeders. But…call it a parent thing. He didn’t need to learn about his kid like that.” Her voice had softened, as she got in the car. She called Sam and arranged the pick up.

“I guess not.” Dean said thoughtfully. “Nephilim….Do you believe him? About being out of the game?”

“Do you?” Lily asked, shaking her head.

“No,” Dean replied. “I don’t.”

***

The poor clerk gratefully accepted the numbers that Faith gave him. She’d a funny feeling they’d hear from him in about a month, once he’d gone through all the exterminators in the book. After all, rats don’t spin chairs and giggle.

After the courthouse, they’d gone to the shops to pick up some replacements for what couldn’t be washed.

“Why’d you think that demon wouldn’t attack Dean?” Faith said suddenly.

“You noticed it too?” Sam winced at some of the prices. Faith would never be caught in goodwill shops, but outlet prices were still too much by his reckoning. 

“Couldn’t miss it. He flung himself in front of it, and it turned away.” She picked up several tops in various sizes.

“Maybe it thought it knew him. Thought he was Jake.” He looked at the jeans she picked up. “They won’t fit you. Those are men’s jeans.”

“They’ll fit Dean. Never got those stains out from that wardrobe monster in that kid’s room, so out they go.” She folded them into the basket. “Can you remember the vision thing she had?”

“That shuck?” He dug in his jacket pockets, pulling out a battered piece of paper. “Wrote it down when Dean told me. Here we go.” 

Faith took it from him. “I wish she did these things in English.”

“A demon tried to bring forth life on this plane,” Sam read. “That‘s too elaborate to mean possession.”

“These’ll fit you,” Faith said as she passed him a pair of very long jeans. “You mean a demon tried to have a real baby? But why? Possession‘s not exactly easy, but it‘s a hell of a lot easier than a baby.”

“I was under the impression that it was nigh-well impossible for demons to have kids here.” He held the jeans up against him. “Oh, they’re fine. I get that it’s possible, but it takes so much effort that it was more bother than it was worth. Then again, when has that ever stopped anyone?”

“Lily told me that Nephilim, y’know, human-demon kids, are highly prized, it’s the best way for demons and angels to have real power on earth.” Faith had chosen enough, and started looking for her wallet. “Kid can go where they can’t go, that kind of thing. It’s supposed to be more effective than possession.” 

Faith went to pay for the clothes as Sam’s Blackberry rang. “Hey Dean? We’ll be there in a minute.”

***

Dean was still puzzling over Reitz’s last word. It definitely meant something. He’d parked opposite the library. Lily had fallen asleep. On a whim, he got out, and went in, politely smiling at people, but never long enough for them to think about approaching him. He ignored the shocked looks he got.

He went over to the PCs and went on the Net, ringing Sam as he did so. “Sam? We were right about Jake Grey. That Reitz guy had never guessed, but I let the cat out of the bag. That’s not why I’m calling. Lily was really weird in there. We were discussing how demons can hold a solid form, and suddenly she couldn’t get me out of there fast enough.”

“Maybe she didn’t want you letting the truth slip.” Sam took one of the heavier bags from Faith.

“I thought that too, but she seemed really agitated. Even when we got into the car.” Dean took a deep breath. “It was more like she wanted to get me out of there before I guessed something.”

Sam was quiet for a moment. “Dakota said that demon had tits, right?”

“Yeah. Do you think that Jake is a Nephilim? I can’t remember what you need to do to get one.” He tapped something into Google.

“We’ve just been having this conversation,” replied Sam. “I can’t remember either. But why would Lily not…?” 

Dean heard Faith say something. Sam came back on. “Faith says you need a powerful psychic or witch. That’s what Lily told her.”

“Do you think they need a physical form? The Demon?” Asked Dean. “I’m not really getting anything from these sites. I’m not sure what resources Lily uses, without her bookmarks. Do you know them?”

“Not off the top of my head. Where’s Lily now?” 

Dean tried something else in the search engine, as he heard Sam ask Faith the questions Dean had just put to him. “Asleep in the car.”

“Faith can’t think of them either, but she’s sure that she’s heard that they can either do it in their real form or their possessed form, but it has to be under a ritual. The person being fucked doesn’t need to know it’s happening.”

“Fits with what we know about the Kiltons,” Dean said as he tapped another search into the PC. He came up with one of the online grimoires that he’d seen Lily use and began searching through it for “Female Demons, crimson skinned”. “OK, I got three that match last night. Demons. Not rituals. Ask Faith if she knows how these rituals get powered up.”

Faith took the phone. “If you want to talk to me, Sweet Lips, just fucking say so. Oh, and it’s the hornless goat. Like it always is.”

“That would be the Kiltons, then.” 

“Doesn‘t it say on that grimoire you‘ve pulled up? Hang on, that’s my cell. Sam wants -” There was a noise as Faith passed the phone back to his brother. He could hear Faith answer hers. “What? She left not long before I got up. Dean said she went back to Mike’s place.”

“Are you looking up possession, fertility or corporeality rituals?” Sam asked. “Maybe who got sacrificed is important. Seems pretty weird that it’s all the same family, otherwise.”

“The last two,” Dean replied. “As far as I can make out, only one of the demons fits our bill. The other two only need one human sacrifice to give birth.”

“Yeah, but this demon was corporeal,” said Lily, coming up next to Dean. She looked grim. “My guess is it wants to stay solid, maybe get the kid back. And that’s two. Something must have gone wrong, because it couldn’t stay flesh. I found two different signatures in the power of that circle. That could bugger it up.”

“Dressed in the blood of your enemy?” Dean said, as something clicked in his head. “I’d say Kathy and Paul would fit that bill.” 

“That’s Sharleth, in which case, Babylonian demon,” said Lily. “And that’s what I came in to say. Mike tried phoning you and Sam, but couldn’t get you, so he called me instead. Dakota’s missing and Mike’s called the cops. She never came back this morning.”

“I saw her cross the street to the bar, I saw her go in.” He began to shiver though it was warm in the library. He‘d a feeling that he already knew what the answer to his next question would be. He scrolled down a little more information on Sharleth. “Needs three sacrifices, carried out around the end of April, and the end of October, to remain flesh. Will possess the body of the last female sacrifice who will have a strong personal connection to the demon. The Kiltons were two…Oh, my God. Dakota.”

***

They got to the turn-off after about twenty minutes. A shrine of flowers had sprung up where the officer had been slaughtered. It was bright and incongruous against the bare October forest.

They drove up the track for another five minutes, until they reached the cabin. “What the hell is that car doing there?” Dean swore quietly.

An old sedan was parked near the cabin. “God, I hope this isn’t the place to be on Halloween,” agreed Sam.

Dean turned the engine off, and waited. “I can’t hear anyone. Faith?”

She shook her head. As they got out the car, Sam went for the duffle bag, checking it over quickly, in response to Dean’s look. “I’ve packed pretty much everything. You never know with demons.” He passed out one of everyone’s preferred weapon.

“Don’t forget the chickens,” reminded Lily. “I can’t raise a demon without them.” 

Faith passed the carrier over. “Christ, Dean, your seat’s covered in chicken shit.”

He gave it a brief glance. “Not the worst thing it’s had on it. It’ll clean.” He looked around the group. “We clear on what we‘re doing? Sam, you look for Dakota, Lily, you just raise the bitch, Me and Faith - we‘ll kill that fucker’s body and send her back to hell.”

“What if we’re too late?” Asked Sam. They’d started to walk towards the house. “What if she’s already possessed Dakota?”

“Then I guess we’ll be real busy tonight,” Dean replied grimly. 

Sam held his hand to his head. “It’s worse than it was the first night.”

“You’ll be ok when the adrenaline kicks in,” said Lily, breathlessly. Her eyes were shining and her face was flushed. “That exorcism in the journal won’t work on her. That’s OK for the little demons you’re used to. She’s not. She’s going to be as strong as the one who wants Sam’s ass. I’ll have to do it.”

“It’s kicked in for you,” noted Faith. “You gonna be able to do both on the same night?”

“I’m a summoner, Faith! This is what I do!” Lily was almost dancing. “You hunt! Don’t tell me it’s not the same thing.”

“Yeah, well,” snapped Dean. “Gig’s got its perks, but don’t do anything stupid. Faith and me, we‘ll take up here, you two look in the cabin for Dakota.” 

Lily stumbled, and Sam offered her his arm. She took it, and they went into the house. They swung their flashlights, checking every corner, round every door. There was nothing. “This place is like a flat battery,” said Sam finally. “Dean said even he noticed it last time.”

“I know,” replied Lily. “Maybe we got it wrong. This isn’t the circle.”

Sam shot her a disdainful look.

“Yeah, I know,” she agreed. “Slim to none. Maybe we’re too late. Maybe they’ve already done it.”

“There’d be signs.”

“Yeah, like this place being a flat battery.” Lily moved the chicken carrier into her other hand. “Can we get a move on? These things aren’t getting any lighter.”

“Other signs. None of which I’m feeling.” He looked across at her. “And if you’re not, then they aren’t there. Why not?” 

Lily shrugged. “Can you smell that? Metallic? It‘s not very strong, but it‘s there…”

“Wait, isn’t there a basement? We’ve checked upstairs and downstairs, but we never checked if there was a basement.” Sam moved off to what looked like an old kitchen area. “There, that door.”

“What door? We‘ve been all over the bloody house,” Lily protested. She looked where he pointed. “Wait a minute…”

“No, it wasn’t there five minutes ago, but we‘ll humour it.” He held his .45 ready, nodded to her. Lily nodded back and took the handle. The door flung itself open, knocking her against the wall with a surprised cry. “Jesus!”

“OK?” Sam asked, not taking his eyes from the stairs. They descended into a black that was utterly solid. He shone the flashlight into it. It couldn’t penetrate beyond the first few steps. “You’re the summoner here. Explain that.”

Lily got to her feet slowly, then looked up. There were two concentric circles on the ceiling. “Fresh blood?” Suggested Sam, following her gaze. “All the power’s in the basement? Are we too late?”

“It’s not power. It’s the demon.” Lily looked at the darkness. “No. She’s not forming. I think we interrupted the ritual. Dakota? Can you hear me?”

There was no reply. “She’s gotta be down there. How long can you hold it off for?” Sam asked.

“I don‘t know. It’s hard enough just now.” The dark crept a little closer, and Lily threw it a look. Sam could have sworn that he heard a sizzle as the shadows drew back. She made to go forward. “Come on then, let‘s go get her.”

“Wait.” Sam’s hand on her arm stopped her. “Last year…I couldn’t stop the demon.” He swallowed, and probably didn’t know he was doing it. “When you were teaching us, you said there was some spell or something where you could share power.”

“You want to let me loose in your head? Why? It hurts like fuck.” Lily looked up at him. 

Sam swallowed again. “Between us, we’ve a shitload of power, but it’s useless if we’re separated. Can you do it?”

“Some’s good, but more’s better?” She smiled slightly. “Do you really think you can do as your elders tell you, once I‘m in there?”

“I’ll be in your head as well,” Sam replied. “Do what you have to do. Time‘s a-wasting.”

“Don’t fight me, even when it hurts.” She reached up and laid a hand on his face. They both felt the darkness move a little closer. 

“OK”. Sam’s voice wavered a little. He began to breathe harder, and wince. “Fuck! It hurts. Ahhhhhh-”

The air around Sam and Lily had begun to ripple and pulse. His hands clamped around her head, so tight she thought he’d crush her. “We’re almost there,” she whispered, and it wasn’t out loud. “You’re doing great.”

“It’s burning.” Sam gasped, eyes shut against the pain. Every nerve in his body was in flames. It was taking all his control not to resist it, cast it out. His body was shaking with the struggle. He suddenly realised he’d the power to stop this. It was so fucking tempting.

“Sam, no! Stay with it. Stay with me.” Lily whimpered then, and he realised sharing power agonised her as much as him. He knew what he had to do. Sam kissed Lily hard, and it was suddenly so much easier, as their bodies responded to the kiss. They each stopped fighting themselves and each other.

The pain was still there, harsh and burning, as their power flowed and commingled, but hormones took the edge off, added an extra kick. Sam hadn’t felt anything this powerful since the night his PK had shoved the dresser from the wardrobe door. Unlike that night, it was constant and controllable. 

“Wow.” He was reeling a little as he broke off the kiss. It was like being dunk and sober and a hundred other things, all opposites, all at once.

It wasn't enough. “Needs an extra boost,” Lily whispered. “We still haven't broke down enough doors. I don't fully feel you.”

Sam kissed her again, tongue tracing her teeth. He felt her hand reach down between them and pull his zipper down. He didn't break the kiss as he turned her round, feeling her contort to keep the contact. Her hands were already undoing her belt and buttons. Sam was already pressing her jeans and panties down, pulling her ass flush against him. He'd been hard since they came here, drunk on the adrenaline and power rolling around the site.

Lily broke off the kiss to look at the Dark. It pulled back and flowed around them with an audible hiss as their energy bled out and ramped up the power. Sam bent her over the table, running his hands over her bare ass, round to her clit, rubbied it hard. He gasped as she pushed back against him. “Sammy, we need to...we don't have time...”

He lined up his dick and pushed hard into her, setting a fast, brutal rhythm. He matched it to his kisses and his fingers on her clit. Any other woman would have been gasping in pain, but Lily just took it. She wasn't quite ready enough for him, not as wet as he'd liked, but it's too urgent. The demon, the ritual, their own need is too urgent. 

He'd got one hand on her face, twisting her round so he can kiss her. The pain in their nerves intensified and it pushed open the final barriers between them. He knew she was hurting bad as he pounds her cunt harder and harder as his climax built but there's nothing else for it. He just made sure she came as hard as he did.

It's a testament to Sam's skills that he brings them off together, the tight clench rippling through them both as all walls and barriers explode around them in a white shockwave that sends the Dark screaming away down into the cellar. Lily gives Sam a final kiss before pushing him off her and pulling up her pants with unsteady hands. Her legs are shaking and she leans against the table. 

“What the fuck was that?” He asks, pulling his zip up, equally shaky.

“Magic.” she replies. “Real magic. Are you ready?”

“I'm ready,” he nods, breathlessly.

“Come on, Psychic Boy. Time’s a-wasting.” said Lily, a little unsteady herself. 

***

“Car?” Dean suggested, motioning to it with his head.

“Yeah,” agreed Faith, walking backwards for a moment as she surveyed the area. “This is too fucking quiet.”

It wasn’t parked that far away from theirs. Dean looked at it for a moment. “I know that car. I saw it outside Ivan Rietz’s house earlier.”

“Well, I’m guessing it’s not coincidence.” Faith kept watch while Dean walked around it. He didn’t know what he was looking for, a clue, something, but there was nothing in the car. It looked almost too tidy.

“Ever get that ‘can’t see the woods for the trees’ feeling?” Dean frowned. “I’m missing something. Something really fucking obvious.”

“Not from where I’m standing, Sweet Lips.” He couldn’t see Faith’s grin, but he could feel it, and chuckled in spite of himself. 

“C’mon, we’ll have a look up at the circles,” he said, and set off towards them. They reached them quickly. Dean walked around it, feeling the power it held. “Come on, Dean. What are you missing?” He muttered to himself, putting his hand over the threshold of the circle. The static was stronger now, much stronger. “There were two power ups, right? Different sorcerors? If Kater did the first 24 years ago, then who the hell did the second?”

“Shouldn’t they be out by now?” Faith looked over to the cabin. A twig snapped behind them, and Faith swung round, gun at the ready. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Faith! It’s ok! This is Ivan Reitz. The guy we saw earlier.” Dean laid a placating hand on Faith’s arm. She lowered her aim. “What’re you doing here?”

“I’m here to see if I can help. I know this demon, and you’ll need all the help you can get.” Reitz eyed Faith nervously, though he spoke to Dean. “Thom’s daughter has the talent, but not the experience.”

“And you got both?” Faith sounded suspicious, though she didn’t raise her weapon. Dean still had a hand on her arm, squeezing it slightly. A brief glance passed between them, barely noticeable. I don’t trust this guy.

Me either. Work with me.

“Before we do anything, we gotta find our friend. Dakota Wilson, blonde, slim, mid-twenties? You seen her?” Dean asked Reitz.

“Did she know Jake?” Reitz’s face was unreadable. “If she did, then it’s probably too late.”

“Yeah, she did.” Dean paused for a moment, as if thinking. He could feel Faith resisting the urge to look over to the cabin. “It doesn’t feel like the ritual’s been done yet. I’ve been at a few of these things, and nothing feels finished yet. Gotta be pretty strong if I can feel it.”

Reitz still had that unreadable look. “You’re selling yourself short. You’ve been doing this since you were a kid. You’ve got instincts, and you trust them.”

“You say you want to help?” Dean met his gaze. Reitz nodded. “Tell me about this circle.”

“What do you want to know?” Reitz asked.

“I thought you could do some big-ass hocus-pocus shit?” Faith said sarcastically. Dean squeezed her arm. Shut up, Faith.

“I just need something more specific,” replied the magician, calmly.

Dean nodded. “Fair ‘nough. Lily said two different signatures. Assuming the first was Aiden Kater with your wife, who was the second?” He watched Reitz’s eyes.

And sure enough, they widened, just slightly. Blink and you’d miss it. Dean didn’t.

“I’m not sure. It’s no one I know.” Reitz changed track. “Besides. It’s not the circle that’s the problem. It’s the demon. You’re going to have to figure out what you’ll do about her.”

Dean let go Faith’s arm. “I’m gonna go have another look around,” said Faith.

“I think you’d be better off staying here, Faith. Safety in numbers.” Reitz actually moved a few steps towards her.

Faith’s gun snapped up. “I never told you my name.”

***

Sam and Lily cautiously descended the stairs, the dark parting around their feet, but otherwise still that impenetrable blackness, closed around them on all sides. “Dakota? Are you there?”

No answer. They reached the bottom, swinging their flashlights, only to have the beams swallowed up. Lily limped forward and collided with the plain, bare wall “Bastard!”

“You OK?” Sam asked from somewhere in the basement. “This is hopeless. I couldn’t find my ass with both hands and a map in this dark.” 

“We could be right beside her and we’d never know,” she agreed. She could hear Sam shuffling about.

Sam’s foot came to rest next a body in the corner. Blonde hair, slight, jeans, female. “Oh shit. Dakota!” He felt for a pulse at her neck, breathed a sigh of relief. “She’s OK. She’s breathing. Dakota? Wake up!” Sam shook her, but got no response. 

“Where are you?”

“In one of the corners. Feel your way around -”

“I know!” After a few moments Lily stumbled into them. 

“I’m gonna have to lift her. Can you manage by yourself?”

“I’m going to have to,” replied Lily. “But we still can’t see the fucking stairs.” She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth. There was an audible hum in the room. He looked back at her, shivering. “Is that you doing that?”

The dark had withdrawn to the edges of the room, hugging the wall as Sam’s movements brought him inadvertently closer to it.

“No, that’s us. You got her?” Lily turned, ready to go back up the stairs.

“Yeah. Come on.” Sam grunted as he adjusted his hold on Dakota. He hurried up the stairs, feeling the dark snap shut behind him.

They made it up the stairs and through the house. They were almost at the front door, when Dakota began to stir, murmuring in Sam’s arms. The front door slammed shut and wouldn’t budge. “Oh shit,” cursed Lily, hauling at the door. She shook her head. “It’s not for moving.”

Sam looked behind him. The Dark was still keeping its distance. He could feel the glimmer of an idea coming from Lily, as she poked around in his head. He could feel when she hit on something - “It felt like a punch” - felt the nod she didn’t physically give.

“Ready?” She put her hands on the door and braced herself.

Sam took a deep breath and punched out through Lily. The door flew off its hinges. Lily winked. “Betcha didn’t know you could do that!”

Sam laughed. “No. Now move!”

The noise distracted Faith momentarily. It was enough for Reitz to push her, sending her stumbling into Dean. Rietz vanished into the night. “Dammit,” she muttered, patting Dean’s arm as he righted her. “I’m good, babe.”

“They’ve got her,” Dean said, already moving over to the three figures emerging from the cabin, stowing his gun as he went. They met midway. “Is she -”

“I don’t think so,” replied Lily. “You need to get her out of here.”

“Won’t you need us here when you summon this bitch?” Faith pointed out. “Took all four of us last night.”

“Dakota’s more important. Besides, I don’t need to summon her. She’s already here-” She waved her hand in the general direction of the black mist swirling towards them. 

“Rig up some kind of holding trap, so we can get Dakota out,” suggested Dean. “Then we deal with this cunt when we come back. Cheever Lake’s only twenty minutes away.”

“Whatever I do is going to need the chi-” Lily looked around. “Oh bollocks!”

“You must’ve left them in the basement,” said Sam. “I’ll get them.” He moved to go, stopped as Reitz appeared by the circle. His left hand held a struggling chicken by the throat. His right held a machete. He slashed his left arm, deep into old, similar wounds. Lily had the same scars in the same place on her arms. 

Blood poured down Rietz’s hand, as he swung the machete he’d just used, slicing the chicken’s head clean off. It didn’t stop struggling. Human and bird blood spurted onto the ground. 

The power rolled around the circle like a gunshot in the forest. The darkness began to slide past the four, to Dakota, disappearing into her skin. Her eyes opened, pure gold pupils.

“Goddammit,” muttered Lily. She straddled Dakota, hauling off her jacket and her sweater. “Knife! Gimme a knife! Quickly!”

Dean passed her his knife. She flicked it open, cutting her arms where Reitz had cut his. Sam gasped at the quick shock of pain he felt in his own body. Lily quickly traced symbols on Dakota’s face with her blood and began to chant in a language Dean and Faith couldn’t understand. The summoner placed her hands on Dakota’s chest.

Dakota began to struggle, snarling the same language as Lily was chanting in. “Can we touch her? Sam! Can we touch her?“ Dean demanded tersely. 

Sam nodded, already moving. “Arms and legs! Get her arms and legs!” 

Between them, they held the struggling woman down, as she became more and more agitated. “Christ! She’s strong!” Gasped Faith, at one particular lunge that almost sent her sprawling.

“At least she’s not psychic,” muttered Dean.

“Lily’s blocking her,” grunted Sam. Dakota worked a hand free, punching Sam hard across the face. He spent a good minute or two seeing stars and there was an agonising throb in his cheekbone. “Jesus! Just fucking go!”

“What the hell?” Dean breathed. “Look, look! The dark…it’s seeping out of her skin!” 

And it was. Blackness crept out in hesitant tendrils. Lily laughed as she chanted. Barely registered the retort from the handgun, until she stared, confused, at the blood beginning to well from the middle of her stomach before collapsing.

Faith didn’t hesitate. She’d turned in the direction of the shot, raised her own .45 and pulled the trigger. She hit Reitz in the head, so fast that he was still holding the gun in a firing position as he fell.

Dakota flung Dean off easily, then grabbed for Sam’s throat. “Not so easy to kill me now I’m in your friend’s body,” she rasped in English.

“Doesn’t bother me,” Dean said, cocking the gun at her head.

“Put me down,” said Sam. There was something in the way he said it that made Dean turn and look. Sam’s teeth were gritted, veins bulging in his forehead, but he was breathing easily. Where his flesh met Dakota’s skin, it steamed, hissing long and loud.

Some of the hissing was Dakota. They locked eyes, before she spat and withdrew her hand. “I’ll make a deal. Let me go and you can leave with the summoner. She’ll be dead in an hour otherwise.”

“Lily would rock salt my ass for leaving a job half done,” replied Sam. His eyes narrowed, and Dakota flew backwards into the concentric circles. Dean’s knife picked itself off the ground, and began to do eeny, meemy, miny-mo, between, Sam and Faith. 

“Go ahead, kill me,” said the Slayer. “Plenty more where I come from. And I don‘t think you actually could hit Sam with that, seeing as how he‘s just flung your ass 16 feet.”

“Oh, I can try,” replied Dakota. “It’s taking all his strength to keep me in here. He’s feeding off the summoner. Power goes out when she does. More he uses, faster she goes.”

The knife flew towards Faith. Dean lunged for it, but had no chance of making it. Faith caught it deftly, the momentum throwing her to the ground. She clung to the blade for dear life, as Dakota fought to drive it in to her. “S…Sam..do…something,” she grunted.

“I can’t,” Sam gritted out. “Everything’s going to keeping her there.”

Dean crawled towards Faith, placed his palm upon the point of the knife. It pressed in painfully, but didn’t pierce the flesh. Dakota growled. “I won’t draw your blood.”

“Why not? Your pal wasn’t so fussy last year. Drew my blood plenty,” Dean snarled, trying to goad her. “Two psychics and a Slayer ain’t bothering you. What’s wrong with me? Not good enough for you?”

Dakota gave short, mirthless laugh. “He was a fool. Just like you. So caught up in his own little drama, he’d no idea who you really are. Oh, you’re not like your brother and you never will be. But you don’t have to be. You and Jake and Tom -”

“Tom?”

“You wasted a bullet on him, or had you forgotten?” She looked down to see Lily grab her ankle, blood from the gunshot leaving a sticky trail in the grass, weeping into the circle. The power began to rise up, a white light that threatened to sear the shine from their corneas, blinding.

“Do it Sam! Cast the goddamn spell, say the fucking magic words!” Yelled Dean.

Sam chanted in Babylonian, power rushing from him into Lily, feeling her struggle to cleave the demon from Dakota as her life blood flowed into the circle. The white light began to whirl and twist, smacking off its perimeter as if it were water trapped in a pool. It went through Dakota, knocking her off her feet, hauling around the circle, trapped in an unnatural tide. 

Dean and Faith ran to hold Lily fast, lest she be carried away with the force of the demon’s writhing, fresh flows of blood streaming with every jerk. Still Lily clung on to the body, as hard as the demon. 

The demon was ranting incoherently, until a horribly audible tearing was heard. She gave a terrible smile, looked straight at Dean. “You are not my son. But you’re someone’s.”

The black mist poured out Dakota and was ripped apart by the light.

***

Sam sat alone in the waiting room, head in his hands. The cops were tactfully sitting outside. The sound of booted feet running up the hall didn’t stir him from his misery. He’d spent all his life around death and dying things, but he’d never felt someone’s life slip away like that. Going, going, gone.

“She’s stopped breathing, Sam! No pulse!” Faith had already began chest compressions. 1 push 2 push 3 push breathe. 1 push 2 push 3 push breathe. 1 push 2 push 3 push breathe.

Sam had breathed for Lily. She was cold, had stopped bleeding over the back seat, her lips blue.

Sam rubbed compulsively at his mouth . He could still feel that cold, dead mouth against his. Felt the bile rising in the back of his throat again, swallowed it down, burning as it went.

“It true, son, what the cops are telling me?” He saw boots in front of him, looked up to see Mike standing there. He looked liked he wanted to hit something. “Ivan Reitz was going to sacrifice her to the Devil to free his son?”

Sam nodded. He’d no idea what bullshit story Dean had pulled out his ass. 

“I guess it’s just lucky you guys had gone up the old North place seeing about those cougars,” Mike continued. “Might never have found her otherwise.” He cast a glance to sheriff’s deputies trying not to look like they were listening outside the door. “I’m sorry about your friend. She out of surgery yet?”

“No,” whispered Sam. He cleared his throat. “Dakota?”

“Broke her legs in a couple of places, broke her ribs too, but they tell me she’ll heal.” Mike stood, held out his hand to Sam. “You ever need anything…”

“Thanks,” replied Sam as he took Mike’s hand. Right now, he felt anything but thankful.

Dean had gone back out to the Impala after he dealt with the cops. Faith had followed a few moments later. Dean was trying to get the key in the door. “Just moving the car. Ambulance bay.” He dropped the keys.

“Gimme the keys,” said Faith, holding out her hand. It was covered in blood. Both her hands were. It matted her hair, smeared across her neck. It was too dark to see her clothes, but he supposed it was there, as well.

Dean paused for a moment, then passed them to her. “At least the car didn’t get totalled by a semi.”

“Well, we’re one up on last year,” she said as she drove to an empty space. She turned the engine off, kept looking out the windshield. “You got the blood out last time. What did you use?”

“Saddle soap. Nothing gets shit out of leather like saddle soap. Fucked a cow girl once who told me that, and goddammit if she wasn’t right.” His chuckle was the right side of hysteria, but only just. He reached for her and she let herself be pulled in. 

“I’d be jealous if it wasn’t for the fact I can kick your ass into Hell and back,” she murmured into his throat.

“Only cause I let you.” His breath was warm against her hair. “And I’ll always let you.”


End file.
